Brazil

CPT Sergio Trejo
The Brazilians
COURSE OF VIOLENCE IN BRAZIL CHPTS 10-12
CHPT 10 Suffer the Little Children:
From 1940 to 2010, Brazil has strived to solve the problem of children in gangs and living on the streets.
“The cycle is a vicious one: Society brutalizes homeless boys and girls, and then they become brutal themselves.”
Church of Our Lady of Candelaria Incident.
Abused:
Childrenneglected by parents (striving to make a living, savage capitalism), Must work to help instead of education, abuse at home, malnutrition and poverty, Authorities (police brutality); Other criminals: Infratores (lawbreakers, 12 years old); Children used for profit (Crime, Sexual, Drugs)
Mass media, newspapers: offer drastic images of crimes that manipulating opinions. Offer a “superbandit”symbol.
Children are aware they are being marginalized by society. They use drugs as an escape door. Glue, stain remover, fire extinguishing sprays, varnish, and gasoline. Later is marihuana and cocaine. Most children developed Old/Young Personalities: Criminal children can be seen playing with toys while they hold a cigar or a weapon on their hand.
Institutions:
Horrible conditions indetention centers. Children find crime, abuse, disease, overcrowded, lack of reformation. Criminals and non-criminals housed together.
FEBEM (State Foundation for the Well-Being of the Minor). SOS Children.
CHPT 11 Abusing Nature’s Bounty:
“Savage Capitalism” Pollution and Deforestation. Economic growth and development with a high price.
EXAMPLES: Cubatao Dusk: Sugar. Polluted Rivers (birthdefects), the poor searching for employment build Favelas under extreme conditions. Sao Paulo: Coffee. 1920 outgrew Rio, Great Depression second major industrial growth, under President Kubitschek third economic growth with industrial expansion (VW, factories, thermoelectric plants, garbage incinerators).
Government ignored the ecological damages and was willing to sacrifice environment foreconomic prosperity. “Careless Brazilians”.
Awareness: OIKOS Union Defenders of the Land, CETESB Company of Technology for Basic Sanitation and Water Pollution, AGAPAN Gaucho Association for the Protection of the Natural Environment.
Constitution: Every citizen has the right to an “ecological balanced environment.” “Acao Popular” Law enables citizens to bring suit against governmentagencies or officials for failing to protect the public patrimony.
CHPT 12 The Amazon Basin:
Brazilian Amazon concerns: Uncle Sam and foreign corporation’s “Grand Design.”
Brazilian aspects that contributed to the staging ecological and social problems of Amazonia: Desire for grandiose projects, shortsightedness, reliance on good intentions, lack of respect for nature, propensity for violence.Deforestation: Great problem and a great concern. ~1970 became a priority for authorities. 15 million species of animals, and plant life. Pharmaceutical cures.
Chico Mendez: Leader of Brazilian rubber tappers (Seringueiros). Assassinated in Xapuri proved to be much more than a threat to animal and plant life.
Land ownership. Highly questioned, corruption, violence between rich (Landowners)and poor (colonists), Catholic Church in defense of poor.
Gold Prospectors or Garimpeiros. Brazil 5th largest producer of gold. Destroying ecology. Serra Pelada mine is biggest man made hole in the world. Garimperios (gold prospectors).
Rodonia: but about three-fifths of the state has been deforested since intensive settlement and logging began in the 1970s, speeding up deforestation eveninto current times. A majority of its citizens now live in urban areas. It is a main exporter of wood, as well as a significant producer of both coffee and cocoa. It is also an important region for animal husbandry, specifically cattle.
Capitalists that failed: Daniel Ludwig 1967. $3 million dollars bought area larger than Austria. Could not adapt to Brazilian political world. Henry Ford...