By MANUEL DOMINGOS NETO*
Most of the left-wing militancy has not been engaged in the development of the political culture of Brazilians for a long time.
The media success of the public events led by the USP Faculty of Law made the riot planned by the ultra-right more difficult. In line with Washington's concerns, the financial barony's fear of the possibility of seizures with unpredictable consequences was evident.
The good reception of the act by the major newspapers was certainly facilitated by the breadth of Lula's speech, which skilfully calms the fears of those at the top and feeds the dreams of those at the bottom. If Lula were threatening the interests of the big ones, we wouldn't see barons in the democratic party.
The party was beautiful, but it is not convenient to imagine a calm electoral environment. How can we expect consideration from those terrified at the possibility of losing advantages and going to jail in the event of an electoral defeat? The list of those threatened is longer than the presidential family. There are politicians, religious, businessmen and the group that owns weapons, in uniform or in pajamas, regularly or not.
Respect for democratic rules cannot be ensured by institutions that, intoxicated with autonomy, do not give respect. After all, who, in recent years, has attacked the principle according to which power emanates from the people and must be exercised in their name? Who defrauded the last presidential election by removing Dilma Rousseff and arresting the main competitor of the current president?
Impossible to ignore: the arms of the State are unreliable. The tragedy we are experiencing was made possible by members of the Armed Forces, the Judiciary, Parliament, the Public Ministry and police institutions.
Respect for democratic rules essentially depends on a broad popular mobilization that has not yet shown its face.
In this matter, let's face it, the progressive field has not helped. The majority of left-wing militancy has not been engaged in the development of Brazilian political culture for a long time. On the contrary, it gathers votes through clientelist expedients developed by the old oligarchies.
Seeking to be elected anyway, left-wing leaders, through unjustifiable alliances, contributed to ensuring the command of Centrão. Ciro Nogueira was elected with a vote from the left, it is worth remembering. The resources of the secret budget give leftist parliamentarians a chance to present themselves as guarantors of benefits to their “electoral colleges”.
Many were moved by yesterday's democratic demonstrations. It is not possible to diminish an inhibitory mobilization of fascist turmoil. But it is important to register its limits. The notion of democracy is eroded when the false idea prevails that popular sovereignty can be guaranteed through elections.
Lula was right when he said that democracy implies that everyone has the right to food, education, health, work, dignified remuneration, in short, to the elementary rights established in the 1988 Constitution.
These rights were denied in favor of the barony present at the Faculty of Law of São Paulo.
Indeed, nowhere were they secured without a roar from the people. A roar loud enough to leave saviors with their tails between their legs.
* Manuel Domingos Neto is a retired UFC/UFF professor, former president of the Brazilian Defense Studies Association (ABED) and former vice president of CNPq.
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