By MANUEL DOMINGOS NETO*
The long history of coups by the Brazilian military
I don't trust you, general. You proclaimed the Republic in the name of the people and left the people outside the polls. You did not accept that women should vote. You excluded the illiterate, that is, almost everyone. As if that wasn't enough, you continued to flog blacks in the barracks.
You speak on behalf of the people, but you're scared to death of the popular vote. In the Old Republic, you invented saving states whose elected rulers you didn't like.
Afterwards, you defended the secret ballot by saying that all the evils came from the electoral system. You overthrew the elected president, changed the political system and, under pressure, accepted the woman's vote. But you persisted keeping the people away from the polls.
Finding little, you invented a blatant lie to impose a dictatorship and deny the manifestation of the collective will. You shoved down society's throats a Constitution copied from fascist Poland.
When you were no longer able to maintain the dictatorship, you gave the people two options: elect one in blue or the other in olive green. And you were astonished by the vote of those who wanted social change. You imposed clandestinity on those who raised popular flags.
Then you wanted to remove an old caudillo who had become an idol for the people. Man wanted a country with science, technology, industry and social rights. With your usual allies, you so tormented the old man that he killed himself. He took from your mouth the pleasure of seeing him unjustly arrested as a thief.
Then, once again, you repudiated the verdict of the polls. Only the counterattack of a sensible colleague would assure the elected candidate.
Stubborn is your rage against the vote. You overthrew the President of the Republic again and imposed 21 years without free elections. You dealt merciless beatings! Those who challenged you, you ordered to be killed or put in jail.
When you were forced to accept elections, even indirect ones, you broke your face, your candidate danced.
You swallowed dry the decision of the 1988 Constituent Assembly that guaranteed the vote of the illiterate. What a disgrace this republican regime you proclaimed: the most humble waited a hundred years to have the right to vote. How afraid you are of an urn, general!
Brazilians began to get used to voting and, by stealth, plotted against the elections. In collusion with hooded rascals and petty judges, you engineered the overthrow of an honest woman and the arrest of a popular leader.
You displayed your strength using a cell phone. Admirable! You didn't even have to leave the troops on standby.
Finally, you got a buffoon for the presidential chair. You endorsed your government. And that the asshole should be imputed for your designs, huh? Many candidly imagine that the evils come from your bewildering puppet. The more nonsense he says, the better to unlink the images from their manufacturer. You're good at what you call "psychosocial" maneuvers.
But, with this mess of contesting electronic voting machines, you risk spoiling the rest of the consideration you still have in front of some unwary people.
What do you intend? Rumble, riot? Do you program social commotion to attack as a maintainer of law and order? Do you want the country on fire to justify the troops taking to the streets? What a joke! What an unstoppable desire to command!
You pretend to have nothing to do with the tragedy announced. There are those who say that you will not break institutionality. Who doesn't know you, buy you. Will you give up your lifetime addiction?
Hold your allergy to the will of the people. Contain your fear of the polls. Stop playing the fake savior of the homeland.
Take care of your obligation. Get ready to kill a covetous foreigner and let the Brazilian people, who support you, choose their path!
* Manuel Domingos Neto is a retired UFC/UFF professor, former president of the Brazilian Defense Studies Association (ABED) and former vice president of CNPq.