Comments on: Brazil: Is Obama the American version of president Lula?

By: Victor Barone

Victor Barone — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:33:57 +0000

Apenas a título de colaboração: independente do posicionamento que se possa ter em relação ao Governo Lula – eu mesmo sou bastante crítico, em especial à sua relação com a imprensa, com os casos de corrupção e com a manutenção de um Estado paternalista – deve-se dizer que os níveis sociais do Brasil melhoraram em seu Governo. O Latinobarómetro, pesquisa anual da The Economist sobre o pensamento político dos cidadãos latino-americanos – divulgado sexta-feira – mostra que Lula tem o apoio de 79% da população. Definitivamente não é pouca coisa.

Meus 50 cents sobre a questão Lula/Obama: não concordo que seja possível fazer comparações entre os dois. Não porque Lula tenhga menos “inteligência e competência” que Obama, ou porque, sob Lula, o Brasil seja governado por “criminosos, ou tenha suas crianças incultas ou famintas”. Mas porque as duas trajetórias, as trajetórias de vida – assim como os dois países – são totalmente diferentes. O trecho citado por Paula Góes, pinçado de um comentário meu sobre Lula e Obama, refere-se a uma comparação entre a sensação de esperança que brasileiros e americanos tiveram com a eleição de Lula e Obama, respectivamente.

Quando me refiro à frustração dos brasileiros perante o Governo Lula, estou falando de uma frustração política de uma fatia da população que esperava uma guinada mais sinuosa rumo a um “fazer político” diferente do que temos no Brasil desde a República. Isso ao ocorreu. Mas, a política social de Lula agrada aos que nada mais esperam de um Governo do que paternalismo. Estes analfabetos políticos brasileiros são da mesma gênese que os analfabetos políticos americanos.

By: Solana Larsen

Solana Larsen — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:25:01 +0000

Haha I was wondering what an “anta” was…

Lula was a working class leader elected to lead the country that had tortured and imprisoned many of his supporters during the dictatorship. I think the election of an African-American man to the most powerful office in the world is comparably exciting.

By: Paula

Paula — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:56:54 +0000

Hello

I think you guys kind of got it wrong – the main comparision here is not Lula/Obama itself, but the feelings voters had towards that elections, as well as the big change that both elections represent.

As solana pointed out, people were just as hopeful, excited, happy in general – and expecting much more than what is humanly possible to achieve in 4 years – Brazil needs a century to get over the bad legacy from previous government, who destroyed the education system only to name one thing which would impact everything else

I haven’t lived in Brazil since, but from the news I get (not exactly from the media, but friends and family) Brazil is much better than before and in the right track, but we did get disillusioned with the corruptions schandals and the old ways of doing politics that still remain. I hope that the Obama electors won’t have the same feeling after his time in office.

And Meire, that was not an elegant way to refer to the presidend which was elected by the Brazilian people. You may have better argumentation than calling Lula a tapir, I hope.

By: Solana Larsen

Solana Larsen — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:30:38 +0000

First time I went to Brazil was right after President Lula had been elected in 2002. I went to the World Social Forum and was so impressed by how excited everyone I met was. You’d ask people who they voted for and they would literally start clapping and singing the Lula song. Like the bloggers above, I also thought about how similar the experience has been in the United States in some ways (although Americans are much less prone to spontaneous singing and dancing). The excitement in Brazil subsided when Lula compromised on ideals his supporters favored, especially on economics and world trade (others were relieved he didn’t turn things upside down). There was no shortage of infighting in Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) and NGOs also struggled to find a new opposition (?) role for themselves once ‘their guy’ was in office. Probably the best thing Obama supporters can do to help the new presidency is to hold Obama strictly accountable for all the promises he made during the campaign. He will need them as leverage to push through big changes.

By: Marcel

Marcel — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:20:49 +0000

I totally agree with Meire.
I lived in Brasil for 10 Years and noticed what had happend under Lulas Regime.
No one can seriously compare Lula with Obama.
Obama might want to ask Lula for advice if he likes his country overrun and ruled by Criminals and also if he wants to see american children uneducated and starving.
Other than that, I think Obama will do just fine.

By the way, I am neither Brazilian or American.
So my opinion is not influenced by patriotism.

By: Meire

Meire — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 07:44:04 +0000

Me poupe! Sem comparação. Lula é uma anta corrupta! Nem em sonho ele chega perto da inteligência e competência(à ser comprovada, mas eu acredito e muito) do Obama.