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Year 8 — No. 125 — May 1996
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NGUAGE: ABOUT THE PRIVATES
PONOMY: HALLENGE TING JOBS
LD RUSH: 'S RERUN TIME N SERRA PELADA
SPECIAL: WHEN THE MILITARY OWNED THE COUNTRY
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RTU RE ES
TIME TO BE HUMBLE AND.. LEARN WITH THE US
TRAVEL: A SAO PAULO YOU DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED
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NEWS from BRAZIL. MAY 1996 3
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11800•976•7872 NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
It's more than a little ironical that files just gleaned from Sdo Paulo's Department for Political and Social Order (DOPS) reveal as agitators president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Minister of Planning Jose Serra and Minister of Communications Sergio Motta. The documents belong to another era, it seems. The two decades of the military dictatorship only ended 11 years ago. Disappearances, sudden arrests, terrorism from the left and the right,
fear of even possessing a book that might be considered subversive, newspapers carrying recipes or epic poems in place of censored articles, all of these facts are still very fresh memories for many who lived through the lead years of the '60s and '70s. If political persecution and the toilture that was an integral part of it has become the subject of history books, the violence used in police quarters is more alive than ever in Brazil. Rio's Police chief Helio Luz in a recent interview to weekly newsmagazine Veja presented a grim picture of the situation: "Since the time of slavery, Brazilian elites sanctioned such methods in a way that our police was never prepared to do investigative
8
aplatula
NEWS-BRAZIL ON LINE
http://www.brazzil.com http://home.earthlink.net/-brazzil work: they always use the brute force shortcut." We are dedicating roughly 1/3 of our editorial pages to the subject torture and the military dictatorship in hopes of maintaining alive the debate from those who still didn't get a satisfactory answer for their suffering, those who have no voice to protest, and those who believe human rights are for all and not a prerogative of a privileged caste. R.M.
28
Cover
Short story
Torture: then and still now
Machado de Assis's "0 Alienista" - Part I
18
35
Language
Travel
On the color of the President's private parts
A Sao Paulo you didn't know existed
20
Cover by Christine Carverley
Economy
DEPARTMENTS
Firing fever hits our economy
6 Rapidinhas 16 Letters 45 Brazilian Notas 46 The Cultural Pulse 47 Por al 49 Classifieds 50 U.S.A. Calendar 52 That's Brazilian
22 Rebuttal
America is bad, Brazil is worse
24 Adventure
A new and improved gold rush
IMILL
39 Country music
Wealthy and caring Zeze Di Camargo
44 Book review
Paulo Coelho's disappointing Valkyries
54 Special
When the generals managed our lives
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5
14 LI 0 r 00 II 101111 II NI Rubber-a-plenty Condom makers' dream of getting a camisinha (little shirt) in each pocket and each purse is getting closer to fruition in Sao Paulo. Thanks to a stable currency, the real, condom manufacturers are able to place the product in vending machines in strategic places like nightclubs, newspape stands and subway and bus stations. The company Blausiegel alone is investing $2 million in more than 2,000 machines and believes that soon 7% of its earnings will come from the rubber dispensers.
From his self-imposed exile in Miami, former President Fernando Collor de Mello has been feverishly weaving pages on the Internet. Those curious enough to visit him at http:// www.visionpoint.coml collor will find his biography, articles and speeches from the times he was the country's number one honcho. The down-toearth pages are presented in French, Spanish, English and Portuguese. Collor criticizes Presiden Fernando Henrique Cardoso and gives hints of his presidential aspira tions when he speaks of his wish of retaking the "abruptly interrupted" march. He blames his impeachment on "powerful groups" defending "their limited interests". His E-mail couldn't be easier to remember: collor@america, Slammer bange Brazilian prisoners are mad as hell and they are
6
TV
Naked does it TV novela (soap opera) programmers have a sureshot solution for sagging audiences: to bring in breasts and other less-exposed female anatomy parts. But this time SBT (Sistema Brasileiro de Televisao - Brazilian TV System) has outdone itself by deciding to include the savior scenes even before its new novela Ra=c7o de river (Reason for Living) has started. News photographers flocked to the waterfall where Claudia Liz, the novela's star, was supposed to tape her nude scenes. Outraged with the barrage, the model who has already shown all of her stuff to Playboy readers, protested: "I get the tubes to pose nude and it's not now that you are going to get it for free.- That said, she took it all off but her panties and T-shirt and marched to the waterfall.
migration
And the number is Until now Brazilian emigration figures were uneducated guesses. But Itamaraty's (Foreign Ministry) first census ever on Brazilians overseas is out with the revelation: 1.5 million Brazilians have left their country for the first and third world. From those, the majority (610,130) went to the US. Tiny Paraguay comes in second on the list of preferences (325,000) followed by Japan (170,000) and Europe (126,828) where the biggest colony is in Germany (23.700). Almost one third of those who chose the United States went to New York (230,000). There are still 150,000 Brazilians in Boston, 130,000 in Miami, 47,000 in Washington, 15,000 in Houston, 15,000 in San Francisco, 13,000 in Los Angeles and 10,000 in Chicago. As large as it is, the exodus phenomenon represents less than 1% of Brazil's 160 million souls.
not taking it anymore. According to the last prison census's figures, it takes ten days between a jail rebellion and the next one, and there is an average of two jailbirds who break out of prison every day. Every year 1 million crimes are committed in Brazil. There are 511 prisons to receive the 129,169 convicted criminals even though there is enough room only for half of them. And there are 275,000 warrants of arrest out there that haven't been executed. Just for them the country would need 550 new prisons. "Our prison system is bankrupt," says Assis Toledo, minister of the STJ (Superior Tribunal of Justice)
orse in the USA s there any place in the world with more crime than Rio? Yes, five US cities, for example. According to Paris's National Institute for Demographic Studies director Jean Claude Chesnais, your chances to be killed are much greater in the United States. He bases his conclusions on research analyzing the 1993 and 1994 number of murders for each 100,000 residents. In Rio, during that period, there were 60 murders for 100,000, while this number was 86.4 in New Orleans, 77.9 in Richmond (Virginia), 69 in Washington DC, 67.9 in Gary (Indiana) and 64.1 in Saint Louis (Missouri).
ike on the tube In Brazil, life is imitating novelas (soap operas) again. Going to a teen party these days might seem like a trip to Gypsy land. Getting their cue from Explode Coracao
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
(Explode, My Heart), a soap that extols the Gypsy „ culture, adolescents all over the country have been celebrating special occasions wearing colorful garbs, getting crystal balls and Gypsy cards, hiring Gypsy dancers and playing full, blast the novela's soundtrack.
4*, Must read The vestibular, that Brazilian all-encopassing marathon-like test that makes or breaks those interested in getting jot college, will just start November 24, but the FundacAo Universitaria para o Vestibular has already released the list of books candidates will have to read for Vestibular '97. The 10-book list has been enriched with three new works: Mario de Andrade's Contos Novos, Gil Vicente' Auto da Barca do Inferno, Joao Cabral de Melo Neto's Morte e Vida Severina. Carried from last year's list are Memorias de urn Sargento de Milicias (Manoel Antonio de Almeida), Lira dos Vinte Anos (Alvares de Azevedo), A Cidade e as Serras (Eca de Queiroz), Dom Casmurro (Machado de Assis), Sdo Bernardo (Graciliano Ramos), Campo Geral (from '"Manuelzao e Miguilim" by Guimaraes Rosa e - "Memorial do Convento" ,(Jose Saramago). On February 3, 1997, candidates will know if the new ist of literature has helped. That's the day the final results will be released
Trash no „ m In a pioneer undertaki in Brazil, Brasilia has started to issue tickets to those who dirty the city's streets. Tlrowing paper o fruit peels will set you
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Sea saw The mangue music trend has given voice to Recife's fishermen. Chico Science, the tnoirement's leader, has used their patois in his lyrics with a little adaptation. Here's a taste of the new language: Aratu — (homeless crab) stupid Canto — (crab's box) van for prisoners Cevar — (to raise crabs) to educate Corda — (cord) gang Da lama — (from the mud) cool Espumar — (to foam) to be hungry Guaja — (high sea's crab) yuppie Jogar isca — (to throw the bait) to flirt Maloca — (shack) home Mare cheia — (high tide) good life Mare seca — (low (dry) tide) penniless Sair de andada — to go aimlessly Virar pircio — (become bouillon) act stupidly Xie — (little crab) street kid Fashion
Crème de la crème Isabela Rosselini's 13-year reign as Lancome's face has ended. To replace her the cosmetic giant has chosen a Brazilian who has been living in Paris since age 7. Cristiana Reali, 31, got the contract competing with such wellknown beauties as actress Juliette Binoche. "Decisive in her choice were besides her beauty and freshness, the intensity and the passion she has forged on the stage," explained Lance,me's communications' director Jerome Bartau. Cristiana, the daughter of Elpidio Reali Jr, a correspondent for the daily newspaper 0 Estado de Sao Paulo, is a promising theater actress who has some name recognition in France for playing the classics like Moliere and Racine. In her new career as a model, Reali has been clicked in Paris, London and Cuba. The new Lancome campaign should start in July.
ack $20. Thi owest fine. The sum utnps to $50,000 for those who toss garbage on fountainheads. Recidivists will have their fines doubled. For now there will only be 84 inspectors enforcing the law. Brasilia's Department of Environment, however, soon intends to also use the military police and raffic cops to dish out tickets.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the recent incident in Caruaru, state of Pernambuco, in which. 43 people died after going' through hemodialysis, was the worst tragedy of its., kind in the world. Three CDC's scientists went to Recife where 60 other patients with liver intoxication had been sent with little chance to survive., The intoxication seems to have been caused by a toxin called MicrosistineLR or by heavy metals in the water of Institut° de Nefrologia e Urologia in which the accident occurred. The only ositive result from the tragedy was the Health nistry's belated decision to supervise the 400 nics which do hemodialysis in the country. ronically enough, the clinic in which the mishap occurred was being paid $100,000 a month by the federal government to minister that treatment to 147 patients from buco's backland
Condemned prostitutes 13, s ne Faa lfonotdrrh i ion inns gun 1 otns ew i dalas ka m a n iD nte ,B2r2a thihiaieas n Rodrigo Vian :a, sentenced ced electricc chair. The decision' _ made in April by a j ry
7
ower b ck to chill ans years after Brazil's Milita y'han and returned to the barracks the legacy of two decades of dictatorship enFlures. Former poli ical prisoners wh were tortured, cv were killed by the military as well as r latives of people ho nwhifeTro— iat.• a repar fi---7 q3 Ni— e. erna , cl- r---:,. 6-6-41 1 , p rf f7.. li
KATHERYN GALLANT
8
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
aysaindy de Araujo Barrett does not exist. Her striking name — which means "clear light" in the Guarani Indian language — cannot be found in any Brazilian government archivef:She is a ghost-citizen, without an identity, forbidden to legally work or study in Brazil. Why? Her parents were guerrillas who were killed by the military regime that ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. AraCijo Barrett's father, Jose Maria Ferreira de Araujo, came from the Northeastern state of Paraiba. Being in the Navy didn't stop him from joining the Popular Revolutionary Vanguard (VPR), a guerrilla group led by ex-Army Captain Carlos Lamarca. There Ferreira de Aratijo met another young militant, a Paraguayan woman named Soledad Barrett Viedma. The couple fled to Cuba in 1966, after the Navy expelled Ferreira de Araiijo for his "subversive" connections. In 1970, a year after the birth of Raysaindy, Ferreira de Araujo secretly returned to Brazil to help continue the armed struggle against the dictatorship. However, he was arrested later that year and died under torture in the Sao Paulo headquarters of the Information Operations Department — Center for Internal Defense Operations (DOI-CODI). In 1995, a government report would reveal that Ferreira de Aratijo had been buried under a false name. Barrett Viedma decided to leave Cuba in 1973 to rejoin the VPR. Knowing that her daughter's future might be in danger if the Brazilian government knew the identity of Raysaindy's parents, Barrett Viedma had a false birth certificate made that identified the child as Slaysaindy Sosa del Sol. The fate of Barrett Viedma paralleled that of her late husband. When she returned to Brazil, Barrett Viedma had an affair with a commander of the VPR, Cabo Anselmo. In 1964, Anselmo had led a sailors' revolt that helped frighten the higher military into deposing the constitutional government. Nevertheless, by the early '70s, Anselmo was secretly collaborating with Brazil's military regime. Anselmo's reports about VPR activities helped the government to imprison and kill five VPR militants in 1973. Among them was Soledad Barrett Viedma. In 1980, Is-laysaindy went to live in Sao Paulo with her Brazilian foster mother, Damaris Oliveira Lucena. The year before, the Brazilian government had given an amnesty to everyone who had been imprisoned or exiled for political offenses. Before going into exile in Cuba and befriending Barrett Viedma, Lucena had been tortured in Brazil. Lucena's husband had been executed. Adjusting to life in Brazil was hard on Slaysaindy. "I was completely lost," she told Brazilian weekly
N
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
newsmagazine /slot in 1995. "Brazil seemed so scary..." Her foster mother was also fearful. "Mother [i.e., Lucena] avoided all contact with the police and that's why my situation wasn't legalized," Araajo Barrett said years later. To keep away authorities who might wonder why Slaysaindy had a different last name than the woman whom she called mother, Lucena gave her surname to the girl. After Raysaindy came to Brazil, her father's brother, Paulo AraUjo, a biology professor at the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo state, became aware that he had an orphaned niece. He tried to help the girl. However, their approach was -slow and careful," as Paulo Araujo would tell istoE. When Raysaindy went to school, she was afraid that she would be expelled because she was not using her real name and had no documents to prove her identity. With this fear paramount in her mind. Slaysaindy found it hard to concentrate on her studies. Slaysaindy dropped out of school in the eighth grade. She was 14 years old. It was difficult for AraUjo Barrett to find jobs where her employers would not demand that she reveal her identity. Her friends, knowing her problem, helped her find various temporary positions. She worked in an umbrella factory and in a candy store, and acted in minor roles in plays. Her delicate features, shapely figure and long brunette hair even got her a job as a fashion model. Arai(jo Barrett, however, found it impossible to continue modeling without telling who she really was. Things seemed to take a turn for the better when Ara* Barrett received her real birth certificate from an aunt. Unfortunately, it was a false hope. Not only had the document been registered with the Swiss Embassy in Havana (in 1969, when Raysaindy was born, Brazil had no diplomatic relations with Cuba), but Lucena had not filed with any government authorities when she and her foster daughter came to Brazil. Therefore, Araujo Barrett, although a Brazilian citizen through her father, was an illegal alien in her own country. Araiijo Barrett now lives with her boyfriend and two daughters in Florianopol is, capital of the southern state of Santa Catarina. There she ekes out a living by selling handmade souvenirs to tourists. Her uncle, Paulo Aratijo, has petitioned Justice Minister Nelson Jobim that Raysaindy be officially recognized as the daughter of Jose Maria Ferreira de Arafijo and Soledad Barrett Viedma. "That would put an end to many years of lies," Siaysaindy says. How could the story of Slaysaindy de Araujo Barrett have been allowed to occur as it did? For an answer to 9
A pocket manual of torture As was the rule during the military regime, the police do not use special rooms or sophisticated equipment to torture prisoners. Anything goes when it comes to disrespecting human rights to obtain information. Besides kicks, blows and slapping, here is a list of the most used methods in Brazilian police stations:
• Pau de Arara (Macaw's perch) — An iron bar is wedged behind the victim's knees. His or her wrists are tied to the bar. The bar is then placed between two tables, which causes the victim to hang eight to 12 inches above the floor. The victim's position is reminiscent of a roast chicken on a spit. This method leaves no marks. However, it causes severe pain, nausea and breathing difficulties. It is frequently used in combination with beatings and electric shock. Since four consecutive hours on the parrot's perch is enough to kill a person, torturers usually stop the punishment after an hour or two, only to resume it later. • Electric shock — Torturers take wires which are connected to electric plugs or car batteries and put the wires on the victim's body. To increase the effect, water is thrown on the victim and the wires are put on sensitive spots of his or her body, such as the genitals or the eyes. It is also common to place the wires underneath fingernails and toenails, or in the back near the kidneys. Electric shock causes tremors, weeping and urinary incontinence. The nervous system will go to pieces. Electric shock is deadly when used to excess. • Telephone — The torturer goes behind the victim. When the victim does not expect it, the torturer slaps both of the victim's ears simultaneously. The immediate effects are disorientation and sharp pains. If the telephone is repeated three times with great force, it can shatter the victim's eardrums and cause permanent deafness. • Drowning — This can be done with small rubber tubes in the mouth and nostrils, or even with a bucket of water in which to submerge the victim's head. At first, it lasts only a few seconds and the victim is taken out. Afterwards, the torturer increases the time that the victim spends underwater, while the periods between the submersions lessen. The victim's nausea causes him or her to vomit or faint. A related method of torture is to place a plastic bag over the victim's head. This impedes the circulation of oxygen and, if the bag is not taken off in time, can suffocate the victim to death. • Psychological torture — This is used as a reinforcement for other methods. Before the victim is tortured, he or she is often forced to undress. During the torture session, the torturers take advantage of the victim's nudity to make fun of his or her physical characteristics or defects. Women and girls are often raped and otherwise sexually assaulted while under torture. When the victim cries, urinates or defecates against his or her will — common reactions under torture — the torturers make jokes about it. It is also common for torturers to say that the victim's family and friends will also be tortured if the victim does not confess. During the military regime, children and other obviously innocent people would be subjected to torture in front of their loved ones who had been arrested for political crimes. 10
that question, it is essential to tell a bit about Brazil's history during the 1960s and '70s. Janio Quadros, an independent-minded former governor of Sao Paulo state, was elected by a landslide to the Brazilian presidency in 1960. Nobody expected that he would resign after just seven months in office — perhaps least of all his vice-president, Joao Goulart. When Quadros resigned in August 1961, Goulart was on his way home from a state visit to China. Much of Brazil's military and civilian establishment viewed Goulart as a leftist demagogue, and tried to insure that Goulart would not return for his inauguration. For two weeks, Brazil was on the edge of civil war, but Goulart came home and took office. The Goulart years However, Brazilian society polarized during the next two and a half years. "Peasant Leagues" in Northeastern Brazil demanded that tenant farmers be given the land they worked on. These leagues were anathema to many large landowners, who believed that wellbehaved, apolitical peasants were being incited by outsiders with Marxist tendencies. By 1964, a total of 2,181 leagues had been formed in 20 of Brazil's states. In the cities, unionized workers were also no longer as docile as they had been. Strikes became more prevalent, which displeased business executives and shareholders. Prices went up. Inflation, which had been 6% a year in the late.'40s and 30% in 1960, rose to 74% in 1963 and 91% in 1964. Nevertheless, workers usually received salary adjustments that kept pace with the rising cost of living. All of this might have been tolerated by the upper middle class, military officers and the US government if Brazil's executive branch had been both more efficient and more willing to accept the status quo. However, Goulart began to demand for "basic reforms" such as agrarian reform, rewriting the labor codes, granting the vote to illiterates and controlling the expropriation of profits made by foreign companies in Brazil. Many people, both Brazilians and foreigners, feared that these proposals were the prelude to a leftwing dictatorship which would be friendly with the Soviet Union, if not Communist itself. Enlisted men and noncommissioned officers in Brazil's armed forces began to revolt against their superior officers. In September 1963, six hundred enlisted soldiers rebelled in Brasilia. The President refused to condemn them. In March 1964, 2000 sailors made a mutiny. Goulart granted them an amnesty and • accused their superior officers of lack of discipline. Many high-ranking officers, who had their patience worn thin by what they saw as Goulart's maladroit rabble-rousing, thought that was the last straw. On March 31, 1964, army troops marched from Minas Gerais toward Rio de Janeiro. The forces that were NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
supposed to stop them joined them instead. Almost no one resisted against the revolt, and very little blood was shed. Democracy would not return to Brazil for another 21 years. The role of the United States government in the events of March 1964 is controversial and still disputed by historians. It has been asserted that Vernon Walters, military attaché to the US embassy in Brazil (who would become the US ambassador to the United Nations under the administration of Ronald Reagan) offered arms to generals who were contemplating a coup d'etat. Walters himself denies this. Certainly, the US government felt relief at the premature transfer of power in Brazil. President Lyndon B. Johnson sent a telegram congratulating the new government even before Goulart went into exile. (Goulart would never return to Brazil alive: he died in Argentina in 1976, at the age of 58.) US Ambassador Lincoln Gordon stated that the "Brazilian Revolution" was "one of the major turning points in history, in the middle of the twentieth century." Brazilians who distrusted North American influence in their nation's affairs joked: "No more middlemen! Lincoln Gordon for President!" Of course, Lincoln Gordon did not become president of Brazil. He did not even have much clout with the man who actually became President in April 1964, Marshal Humberto Castello Branco. According to an article that Gordon wrote for SAo Paulo newspaper 0 Estado de Sao Paulo in 1994, the ambassador protested to Castello Branco about how politicians were being stripped of their mandates and civil rights "without trials and without proofs." Gordon was so horrified that he seriously thought of resigning. "I only desisted after making an internal assessment in which I decided that it would be better for US-Brazilian relations that I stay," he declared. A cardinal's involvment Gordon's successor as ambassador, Charles Burke Elbrick, would be kidnapped by guerrillas from the October 8 Revolutionary Movement (MR-8) in September 1969. After the military government agreed to release 15 political prisoners and fly them to sanctuary in Mexico, the kidnappers released Elbrick physically unharmed (although emotionally scarred by his ordeal). Torture has a long history in Brazil. During the colonial period, representatives of the Portuguese government tortured pro-independence leaders. After Brazil gained independence in 1822, rebels against the empire that had been established were also subjected to torture. And of course, until the abolition of slavery in 1888, millions of slaves lived constantly under the, threat of severe punishment — and even death — if they attempted to revolt against their owners. After the coup of 1964, however, government representatives used torture more systematically on members of the political opposition. Various groups emerged to combat the regime, but seldom became strong enough — or united NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
What the families want • Two more cases of disappeared persons put on the official government list, as well as the names of 13 Brazilian militants who disappeared outside Brazil and another three who are only known by their pseudonyms. The list would then increase to 156 cases of desaparecidos. • An additional 217 names of persons who have been officially acknowledged to have been killed by the military regime. Their survivors would then have the right to the same compensation given to the families of desaparec idos. • Inquiries into the circumstances of the deaths and the names of those involved. This information would then be on the official list of those who were killed or disappeared during the military regime. • The group Tortura Nunca Mais has proposed that the government commit itself to denying highranking civil service positions to persons involved in crimes during the military regime.
What the government is offering • The government has declared legally dead 136 persons who were accused of political activities between 1964 and 1979 and then disappeared. • The families of the desapareciclos listed by the Justice Ministry will receive a death certificate and an optional government compensation of R$100,000 to R$150,000, depending on the age of the person when he or she disappeared. • A five-person commission, with one member connected to human-rights groups and another to the Congressional Human Rights Committee, will try to locate the remains of the desapareciclos. • The compensations will begin to be paid in 1996.
The "suicide' list Below is a list of leftists who were officially declared to have committed suicide in prison. Out of 22 reported suicides among political prisoners during Brazil's military regime, humanrights groups have proven that 13 of these prisoners had been tortured just before their deaths. All 13 had marks of torture on their bodies. 1. Astrogildo Viana 2. Carlos Schimer 3. Milton de Castro 4. JoAo Lucas Alves 5. Reinaldo Pimenta 6. Roberto Cieto 7. Severino Colon 8. Avelmar de Barros 9. Olavo Hansen 10. Jose Gomes Teixeira 11. Pedro GerOnimo de Souza 12. Vladimir Herzog 13. Manuel Fiel Filho 11
enough — to be effective. Nevertheless, their relatively mild terrorism was enough to scare the military hardliners into proclaiming the fifth of a series of Institutional Acts. AI-5, as it was called, gave the President dictatorial powers to defend "the necessary interests of the nation." The decree shut down Congress and the state legislatures, suspended the Constitution, abolished habeas corpus, authorized censorship of the Brazilian media (including non-Brazilian journalists working in Brazil for foreign newspapers, magazines and television networks), and allowed the President to take away the civil rights of anyone with only the vaguest pretexts. On the morning ofJanuary 20, 1971, Rubens Beirodt Paiva was preparing to go to the beach with his family. Just before the Paivas were ready to leave their home in the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Leblon, six armed men in civilian clothes invaded and searched the house. They refused to identify themselves. They forced Paiva, accompanied by two of the men, to drive his own car to DOI-CODI headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. Neither Paiva's wife Eunice nor their five teenage children ever saw Paiva again. Paiva, a congressman who had been stripped of his office after the coup of 1964, had been accused of sending letters to Brazilians in Chile. In the early '60s, Paulo Stuart Wright, a founder of the progressive student group AP (Popular Action), was a state legislator in Santa Catarina. Soon after the coup, Wright, the Brazilian-born son of Presbyterian missionaries from Arkansas, was stripped of his political office. He began to work in the underground resistance, organizing peasant cooperatives and rural networks. In September 1973, Wright was abducted and taken to the DOI-CODI headquarters in Sao Paulo. He was never seen again. His older brother Jaime, a Presbyterian minister who had also chosen to make his life in Brazil, tried to discover what happened to Paulo. Jaime searched for Paulo in military prisons and went to anybody who might have some information about Paulo's whereabouts. Jaime was shocked that other Protestant clergy were not willing to help. On the other hand, Jaime Wright could count on the support of the Catholic Archbishop of Sao Paulo, Cardinal Paulo Evaristo Arns, who took an interest in human-rights issues. In the following years, the two clerics' friendship led to a close working relationship. "As far as I know," Jaime Wright would tell Lawrence Weschler of the New Yorker in 1986, "I am the only Protestant minister who works inside the Catholic Church at the invitation of a cardinal." The collaboration between the pastor and the cardinal deepened in 1980. In that year, a secret grant from the World Council of Churches allowed them to set up a project in 12
which lawyers would check out files from the archives of the military justice system. There were more than 700 records of trials of political prisoners during the military regime — one million pages in all. It took three years to have the files photocopied, and another two years for journalists working in their spare time to summarize the files' contents. Since there was still a chance that the government would delay the transition to civilian rule, the 30-person team worked in the strictest secrecy. The result of these labors, Brasil: Nunca Mais (Brazil: Never Again) suddenly appeared in Brazilian bookstores in July 1985, four months after General Joao Baptista Figueiredo stepped down from the presidency. With a preface by Cardinal Arns, the book quickly sold over 200,000 copies and is still in print. (The average press run for a nonfiction book in Brazil is between three to five thousand copies.) An English translation, Torture in Brazil, was published in 1986. Jaime Wright, who had served as research coordinator for the journalists who wrote the book, translated it as well. Jaime discovered proof of his brother's death among the files, although no information about the whereabouts of Paulo Wright's body could be found. Not every member of the Wright family was convinced. Refusing to accept her uncle's disappearance, Paulo's niece Debra Wright wrote a book about him. At the end, she wrote: "I'd like to leave a post office box number for you to give some news about you. You know, we haven't calmed down, although we've tried." Deadly mistake It was the evening of January 17, 1976 in Vila Guarani, a neighborhood in the city of Sao Paulo. A
co — 4 Humberto Castello Arthur cla Costa e Silva -- 1967-1969 Emilio Garrastazu Medici — 1969-1974 1974-1979 Ernesto Geisel JoAo Baptista Figueiredo -- 1979-19
pos (PDS — o o 1U) evaluated for 0 Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper the administrations of the generals who ruled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. For the Castello Branco administration (in which Campos was Minister of Planning) Campos gave the highest grade: 9 out a possible 10. Why? According to Campos, Castello Branco "planned everything very well, although it might not have been accomplished yet." As for the government of Costa e Silva, which had a "short duration and was weak," the congressman gave it only a 3. The Mddici regime. which Campos sees as having been "repressive, but who presided during a period of great prosperity," got a 7. For that of Geisel, whom Campos perceives as "serious," a 5. "Marked by a period of political exhaustion," the Figueiredo government, like that of Costa e Silva, received a below average grade from Campos: 4. NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Brazil was not alone For years, military interventions were routine throughout the Third World. A political crisis would suffice to make the tanks roll out onto the streets. For example, Bolivia endured seven coups between 1956 and 1983. In the -80s, Guatemala came to such a point that there were no more civilians to remove from the government. Generals — and even lowerranking officers — did coups on their own colleagues. The same thing happened in Honduras. That country was under dictatorships for 39 years. From 1960 until the mid-'80s, most Latin American countries were in the hands of generals. During its years under military rule, Brazil experienced economic growth and political restrictions—prison, exile, torture. censorship. Argentina went to war with England over the Falkland Islands — and was soundly defeated. In Chile, in 1973, the civilian president Salvador Allende died while tanks bombed the presidential palace in NN Ilia Allende was making his last stand. The new president, General Augusto Pinochet, remained in power until a civilian was elected in 1989. In wealthy democratic nations such as the US, Latin American dictators area familiar comic stereotype, along with bearded guerrillas and Mexicans taking siestas under gigantic sombreros. The Woody Allen film Bananas (1971) depicts an imaginary Latin American country where dictators depose each other. When he takes over, the new leader announces radical changes for the country: wearing undershorts over trousers and the adoption of Swedish as the official language. The -Years of Lead- -- a term that became popular after Argentine writer Alberto Daneri used it for the title of a short story about the effects of dictatorship on an ordinary person — seem to be over. However, it is possible that if there is a major economic decline or a significant threat to the political hegemony of the US, the ghosts of regimes past will leave the barracks and take to the streets.
thin man got out ofa Dodge Dart and knocked at the door of Teresa Fiel. When she answered, the man gave her a trash bag full of men's clothing and warning: "I'm from the ospital das Clinicas. I've c me to tell you that you husband killed himself. ere are his clothes. I think it's a good idea that nobody go to the coroner's offic . If somebody has to g , it should only be male r latives. No woman should go to the coroner's offic — not even the widow. Otherwise, the body goes strai ht to the cemetery." The husban 's name was Manuel Fiel Filho, a 49year-old metalworker. He had a wife, two daughters and' a small two-story house. He was suspected of belonging to the Communist Party and was tortured to death in the sao Paulo hea quarters of DOI-Codi. The official story was that Fiel ilho had hanged himself with his own socks. His im risonment and death were the result of mistaken ident ty. DOI-Codi authorities had confused him with a Co munist Party militant named Fiore who had once work d at the same factory as Fiel Filho. "I didn't kn w that there was torture in Brazil," Teresa Fiel told Brasil a newspaper Correio Braziliense in 1995. "I knew that it as dangerous to say bad things about the government an that the Communists were dangerous people." The day a er Fiel Filho's death, President Ernesto Geisel fired th commander of the Second Army, whose headquarters a o housed the Sao Paulo headquarters of DOI-CODI. It was the beginning of the end for DO!COD!.
The guerrillas Torturers' acronyms Oban — Operation Bandeirantes Cenimar — Navy Information Center CIE — Army Information Center Cisa — Air Force Information and Security Center DOI-CODI — Information Operations Department — Center for Internal Defense Operations DOPS — Department for Political and Social Order DEOPS — State Department for Political and Social Order NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 19%
The government's crimes 152 persons disappeared 2000 persons tortured 352 persons killed 4500 persons deprived of their civil rights 10,000 persons exiled 50,000 persons detained in the first months after the Movement of 1964 2828 persons sentenced to prison by Military Justice
PC do B — Communist Party of Brazil PCBR— Revolutionary Brazilian Communist Party PCB — Brazilian Communist Party (did not take up arms) ALN — National Action for Liberation AP — Popular Action Molipo — Movement for Popular Liberation MR-8 — October 8 Revolutionary Movement POC — Communist Workers' Party VPR — Popular Revolutionary Vanguard VAR-Palmares — Armed Revolutionary Vanguard — Palm ares
Crimes of the guerrillas 134 persons killed CIA agent Charles Chandler and Sao Paulo industrialist Henning Albert Bollesen were executed A car bomb targeted the Second Army headquarters in Sao Paulo 4 diplomats kidnapped 100 banks and stores robbed
13
In 1980, Teresa Fiel won a lawsuit against the Brazilian government for its role in her husband's death. For 15 years, the government filed appeals to overturn this decision, but lost in June 1995. It must now pay Teresa Fiel $600 a month and a penalty of $265,000. Despite the money that it has taken Fiel Filho's widow so long to get, no amount of cash can compensate for his death. Even now, Teresa Fiel has recurring dreams in which she hears the last thing her husband told her before he was taken away by DOI-CODI agents: "Don't cry, darling. I'll be back soon." The new victims Eleven years after the end of military rule, illegal imprisonment, torture and disappearances continue to take place in Brazil. Most of today's victims are low-income blacks who live in favelas (shantytowns). In October 1995, Federal Police officers in the Northeastern state of Ceara arrested Jose Ivanildo Sampaio Souza, a 33-year-old candy maker and known gang member. Not only was he armed, but he also was carrying 70 grams of marijuana and hashish, as well as two papelotes of cocaine. The officers took Sampaio Souza to police headquarters in Fortaleza, the state capital. The next day, he was dead. His autopsy stated that Sampaio Souza had eight broken ribs and a broken sternum. "Death occurred by means of a bruising instrument," the report continued, "that caused acute abdominal hemorrhaging with traumatic lesions in the left kidney and liver." The police tortured Sampaio Souza to death because he refused to tell them the names of other gang members. "We'll go to the bottom of this and punish the culprits," Federal Police Chief Vicente Chelloti told Brazilian weekly newsmagazine Veja about the Sampaio Souza case. That may be an uphill battle. In police stations throughout Brazil, torture is the method of first choice to clarify crimes. Instead of the time-consuming and expensive path of investigations and proofs, police officers opt for the quick and easy way out. Some politicians say that torture is justifiable since criminals do not have human rights. If cops go too far while interrogating a suspect, that's one less thug to deal with. If the suspect does not die, police officers can get away with torture. There are three main reasons for this. First, Brazil's overburdened magistrates barely have time to judge homicides, much less arrange time to verify police abuses. For example, the Secretariat of Public Security in the state of Pernambuco made 400 inquiries in 1995 to investigate injuries made 14
by police officers. Of these, one-fifth of the cases went to disciplinary hearings, and only 20 police officers were dismissed from their jobs. This 5% punishment rate means that Brazilian cops accused of torture have 19 chances out of 20 to get off scot-free. Another factor for the apparent dominance of torture today is because the police tortures more criminals than innocent people. And, among criminals, torture victims usually are petty thieves, not drug traffickers. Major players in the illegal narcotics trade could murder cops who would dare to torture another trafficker. The poorer the suspect, the easier it is to abuse him or her. If a police officer is convicted of torturing a suspect under custody, the maximum sentence is one year in jail. That is the same penalty given to people who get into barroom brawls. The punishment increases to five years only if the torture causes permanent injury to the victim or induces miscarriage in a pregnant woman. Psychological damage is not even considered as a factor. The Cardoso administration has attempted to make torture a felony punishable with prison terms of eight to 20 years. However, the proposal has been indefinitely shelved. Finally, torture continues to be prevalent in Brazil because many Brazilians turn a blind eye to it. As Veja expressed it in a 1995 article about torture in democratic Brazil, "torture exists in police stations because society wants it that way." According to the Defense Council for Human Rights (CDDPH), a division of Brazil's Justice Ministry, there have been over 200 disappearances since Brazil returned to democracy in 1985 — more than the 152 reported disappearances throughout the military regime. The largest number of disappearances has occurred in the state of Rio de Janeiro. When Rio de Janeiro newspaper 0 Dia made a survey of police archives in 1995, it discovered that 162 people had disappeared under conditions which suggested the involvement of the police. Lacking police interest in the disappearances, relatives and friends of the disappeared, as well as lawyers and human-rights advocates, have investigated the cases on their own. They often receive death threats. Sometimes those threats NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
come true. In July 1990, 11 teenagers—eight boys and three girls — from the Rio de Janeiro favela of Acari went to spend a weekend on a farm in Bage, on the periphery of the Rio metropolitan area. The young people never returned. Their mothers got together to discover the circumstances of the disappearances and found evidence that the young people had been kidnapped and murdered by the police. Inspired by the example of the "Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo" — Argentine women whose children had disappeared between 1976 and 1983, when a military regime ruled that country — the mothers of the disappeared of Acari began to march around the downtown Rio neighborhood of Cinelandia every Monday afternoon. In their hands, they held photos of their children. The women became known as the Mies de Acari (Mothers of Acari). Although the mothers gained national attention, their attempts to speak with police and government officials were in vain. "Didn't your son have enemies in drug trafficking?" a police officer asked one of the mothers. In March 1994, two of the mothers were invited to speak in France and Switzerland. When she invited them to lunch, French First Lady Danielle Mitterand was so shocked at what the mothers had to say about how Brazilian police officers could get away with murder that she donated $15,000 for the publication of a book about the mothers' efforts to find the truth. That book, Wes de Acari — uma hist-aria de luta contra a impunidade (Mothers of Acari — A Story of Struggle Against Impunity) by journalist Carlos Nobre, was published in 1994, with a preface by Danielle Mitterand. Before this success, the mothers had met with another tragedy. In 1993, one of the mothers, Edmeia da Silva Euzebio, was murdered in front of a prison. A similar case, not connected to the disappearances of the Acari teenagers, happened in October 1995. While investigating the disappearance of a friend, Adilson Cobra Secco, in the Rio favela of Parada de Lucas, Regina Celia Vieira also vanished under suspicious circumstances. Cases like these are responsible for an average of 140 letters a day sent to Brazilian authorities by people living abroad. All of them ask the government to clarify why the disappearances occurred and to bring those responsible to justice. In Brasilia, Humberto Spinola, coordinator of the CDDPH, has proclaimed that it is "the government's determination to put an end to this situation." However, neither he nor any other government officials have concrete proposals to deal with the current wave of disappearances. Lawyer Cristina Leonardo, of the Brazilian Center of the Defense of Children's and Adolescent's Rights, says that the fact that police officers are not arrested and punished for the crimes they are accused of proves that the poor are not given the rights that Brazil's constitution guarantees them. "How many of these cases of police violence were punished?" she asked sao Paulo newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo in 1995. • "None." NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
The back story For many historians, the coup of 1964 began to take shape when lank) Quadros resigned from the presidency in August 1961. Others believe that the military had thought of assuming control since the suicide of President Getillio Vargas in August 1954. What is certain is that, even in the '50s, elements in Brazil's armed forces were trying to take power away from democratically elected civilian presidents. • February 19, 1956— Air Force officers revolt in Jacareacanga, Para, in an attempt to overthrow President Juscelino Kubitschek. The rebellion is suppressed and the officers receive amnesties. • December 3, 1959— Another military uprising occurs in Aragarcas, Goias. Kubitschek again subdues the rebellion and amnesties the rebels. • January 31, 1961 — Janio Quadros is inaugurated President and tries to transcend political parties. He soon adopts an austere economic program, with credit restrictions and a freeze on workers' salaries. He also prohibits wearing bikinis at the beach and cockfights. • August 25, 1961 — After seven months, Quadros resigns from the Presidency. In a letter to Congress, Quadros says that he was under pressure from "terrible forces." Carlos Lacerda, governor of Guanabara state (Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area), had accused Quadros of plotting to become a dictator. • August 25, 1961 — House Speaker Ranieri Mazzilli becomes interim President. Vice-President Joao Goulart had been on a state visit to China. • September 7, 1961 — After political manipulations, Goulart is inaugurated President under a hastily-manufactured parliamentary system. Tancredo Neves (who would be elected President in 1985, but become fatally ill on the 'eve of his inauguration) is elected Prime Minister by Congress. Goulart begins to face a wave of strikes in Brazil and receives full presidential powers in January 1963, after a plebiscite that ends the parliamentary experiment. • March 13, 1964— Goulart takes measures that displease business executives and military officers. During a rally in Rio de Janeiro, he signs a decree that nationalizes privately-held petroleum refineries. He is accused of being partial to Communism. • March 29, 1964 — In Minas Gerais, Generals Olympio Mourao Filho, Carlos Luis Guedes and Odilio Denys put the final touches on a plot to depose Goulart. • March 31, 1964— Troops advance toward Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. Goulart, without military support, travels to his home state of Rio Grande do Sul and afterwards decides to go into exile in Uruguay. • April 15, 1964— Marshal Humberto Castello Branco becomes President. He bans strikes, closes civilian associations, revokes the mandates and civil rights of politicians and intervenes in trade unions. Generals continue in power until 1985. 15
Letters ARE THEY SERIOUS? In your March edition in the "Rapidinhas" section you listed a short article on "Brazil or Haiti?" in which your author quoted a CIA State Failure Task Force report on the imminent social collapse of Brazil. I am very much interested in getting more information on that report if at all possible. I'm a graduate student at Georgetown University and am studying the possible indicators of state collapse. I'd very much like to see what indicators the boys and girls at Langley are using that leads them to such a dire conclusion.
Robert Chamberlain Georgetown University NETHERLANDS CALLING I am a Brazilian radio DJ based in Amsterdam. I have a program called `Tropofagico" where the focus is Brazil. And I am interested in receiving News from Brazil in order to contribute to the news portion of our program. There are approximately 5,000 Brazilians in Amsterdam and it is very difficult to get Brazilian news in Europe.
Giselle Oliveira Amsterdam, Netherlands GROWING GAINS I am very pleased to see the amazing progress Newsfrom Brazil has made in the last couple of years. I am considering having a Brazilian Film Festival here in Kansas City this Spring and would appreciate any input from interested parties. Keep up the excellent work.
Doug Auwarter Kansas City, Missouri doug@unicom. net WE SURE WANT IT I'm currently writing a popular book on African-Brazilian music (cultural history and related issues, genres, instruments, etc.). While I have contacted a publisher who has expressed an interest in the idea, my current workload for a Ph.D. program at UCLA has kept me away from making tremendous headway in my book project. , My wife and I have been reading your magazine for years (starting in San Francisco, then Santa Cruz, now LA). She's been telling me to submit something interesting from my manuscript for possible publication in News from Brazil. I have a great deal of material and would actually be interested in a series of articles if at all possible.
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I've read News from Brazil for the past two years, and I find this publication to be one of the most informative in the field of info on Brazilians and their influence throughout the Portuguese speaking diaspora. I look forward to reading each and every issue from cover to cover! I would very much appreciate the opportunity to review books for News from Brazil. My areas of expertise are History, Portuguese, and Spanish. I have a BA degree in History with certification in Latin American Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and I am a tutor of Portuguese and Spanish for the University.
I would like once again to congratulate News from Brazil. I have greatly enjoyed the room you have made for our Brazilian literature in the magazine. I would like to know whether you would be willing to consider the publication of short stories by young writers like myself. I've been in the US for almost 5 years now as a graduate student, and would like to start publishing my literary work. Can I send you a sample of some of my stories?
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Sidinei Mendonca Flagstaff Arizona CULTURAL LINK What a great publication! I am so happy to receive my copy every month and feel up-to-date on what's happening in Brazil. I read in your December 1995 issue about BIENAM, a conference about the African Diaspora and indigenous cultures, to be held in Salvador. Your article said that the organizers were in the US trying to drum up interest. I am hoping to be able to speak with these groups before the conference. Would the author of the article be able to give me the names of the organizations that were contacted? Thank you very much in advance and as always I look forward to upcoming editions.
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CHIP BUSINESS I read your December 1995 cover story on computer usage in Brazil. I recently took a college class on importing/exporting. During the class the instructor mentioned that there was an opportunity to export USED computers from the USA to Brazil. I have the ability to acquire notebook and desktop computers. Do you know anyone! might be able to contact regarding this?
Vai al a bagatela de $3 por urn ano de assinatura. E urn presente para urn grande amigo meu, o melhor advogado de Honolulu (nao é puxasaquismo) e talvez o maior fa do Brasil at paradise. 0 trabalho de voces é muito borne recomendavel. Voces deveriam enviar a revista para as universidades pois já emprestei varias ediceoes a amigos meus para eles fazerem pesquisa. No mais, pau no rego da rapaziada. Aloha e Mahalo.
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The emperor's black bag Is there a Brazilian fixation with saco (scrotum)? The use of the less than elegant word by a top cabinet member in reference to his chief, President Cardoso, has provoked the ire of some and the laughter of the majority. WILSON VELLOSO In a sudden surge of Victorian prudery, the Camara dos Deputados —the Brazilian House of Representatives — came down hard, hot, and hurt on a presidential spokesman for using language "unfit a gentleman and a minister." It seems that Communications Minister Sergio ("Serjao") Motta joined his countrymen in the enjoyment of a new found democratic freedom: the freedom of being emphatic although mildly vulgar and gross in public. Not that he coined any nasty term. What he uttered was actually an inelegant but perfectly acceptable expression. The august Congressmen's sense of outrage was greeted with cynical laughter by many for its blatant hypocrisy, linguistic and/or sociological musings by the major media, and by audible yawns of "So, what else is new?" by the general public. The alleged Motta atrocity was referring to President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's quality of being a real mensch — a tough, hard as nails, 100 per cent reliable man of his The words — when he said that "o president Presidente tern o saco preto" (the and the President has a black bag). Translated into English of course this does not make much sense, except as an allusion to collecting unlawful bribes or contributions. But that is not the case at all. Motta used the colloquialism to explain why the President had acted against a man allegedly involved in the dealings surrounding a large bank's failure, even if the chum was his own son-in-law. The reason for the hue and cry was instead the fact that the "bag" in issue is merely a Brazilian familiar way to say scrotum, the skin pouch containing and protecting the testicles. At this point, a sociologist would introduce learned 18
commentary on the apparent concern Brazilians of all classes and colors have had with saco since about the turn of the century. But as my sociology degree is somewhat musty, I shall not attempt to explain the whys and wherefores of such a fixation. However, I have some linguistic savvy, with emphasis on the etymology ofcolloquialisms and dare to spend my two bits on the case. These are the facts: • All Brazilian boys have been born with purple, almost black, scrota since Brazil was found by the Portuguese almost 500 years ago, in 1500: that is, at least, what some newsmen explain after interviewing scores of ob-gyn doctors and midwives. They add that the dark coloration often changes to pink a few days after birth. And even many who later turn up gays are born with "black bags." • Therefore, mentioning sacos in conversation has been done for generations by male and female citizens. With very little scandal, if any. If the term may be used at home, in front of the whole family, why should there be such a flap when uttered in Congress? Do the illustrious deputados imply that they are placed above the populace, etiquettewise? • Another fact is that Brazilians have an idee fixe with both the front and rear ends of human beings. It is wellknown that a well-turned up female bunda (buttocks) is deemed to be "a thing of beauty and of j oy forever," much better than any Grecian urn of Keats. As a matter of fact, a disreputable wag once suggested that the blue globe of the Brazilian flag, which passes for an astronomical map of the Rio sky on the day when the Republic was proclaimed, should be replaced by a lady's butt, chosen in a nationwide beauty contest. It must be said inter alia that bunda is an African word also used in the Caribbean creole. In Portugal, the vernacular and common term is cu just as it is in French. Ironically, this monosyllable is considered too coarse for proper language in Brazil... • Reporters with leanings to political history say that the Congressional blowup ("hot air bags in arms because of commonplace bags") was merely a psychological throwback as it painfully brought to mind the impeached President Collor, who grossly boasted of the purple color of his private parts. Let Collor and his things rest in Miami, where the ex-Prez spends his days pumping iron, jogging, sailing and, like any overthrown Latin American pol, missing his helicopter and his escort of siren screaming, lights blazing motorcycles. • The rainbow syndrome apart, the male "saco" is by no means the only case of colloquialism. From the Oyapock in the North to the Chui in the South, in the Federative Republic of Brazil that took over from the United States of Brazil, everybody talks about encher o saco and puxar saco. The first, which translates as "bag filling," means to dish out harassment, being a pain in the neck, a bore. The second, "bag pulling," means pandering, brown nosing, to flatter for profit, etc. • Even circumspect high-born ladies of "good families" calmly say new me encha o saco (don't fill my NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
bag), meaning don't bother me, don't the desired effect. Now they they tell somebody vai te fotografar waste my time, don't be a pain. Estar de would use "shit" without batting (go get your photograph taken) for the saco cheio (to have a full bag) means I an eyelash. F-word. Or call a guy ft/ho da mcle (a am fed up, tired of your insinuations, For propriety sake, quite a mother's son), which of course is a your insistence, etc. Therefore, a perfew expletives or blasphemous redundancy. Its meaning is approxison who doesn't heed the entreaties is a terms used to be replaced by code mately that of "son of gun." bag filler, an enchedor de saco. words. When the English and the In real life, Brazilians morph so • Puxa saco, however, is something Australians say bloody, they are many innocent words into cusswords else again. It should not be included in not referring to the juice of life, that the late controversial writer Carlos the same league because it refers to a but blaspheming, because it Lacerda used to comment that "Brazil different saco, the collection bag in a means "by our Lady." A similar is the only country in the world where church, researchers of the folklore aftrick is Americans saying even mile (mother) is an obscene word." firm. Apparently, it comes from the "Golly" instead of "God," If you doubt it, dare to shout e a tua ancient practice ofhaving favorite altar "fudge" and "frig" instead of the nick! (it's your mother) when someboys take the collection, a plum assignF-word, which has come out of body insults you. Shout it and take ment because the lads could always the closet and gains in popularcover. A more cautious person would pick loose change for a flic or candy. ity all the time. Remember when be content with intoning e a tua (it's The parish priest, being knowledgeable typists would exclaim "sugar!" yours) without specifying what it means. in the ways of the human race, looked when they made a mistake? BraJust like in the U.S. comics a guy asks the other way, dismissing it as a very zilians use a similar ruse when another "have you lost it?" • venial sin. A mere pecadillo. As the boys vied with each other to be chosen to "pull the collection bag," they plied the padre with adulation, in the hope of being his puxa saco for the day. • A mineiro friend of mine, now living in Virginia, tells me that in Carangola, a city in his native Minas Gerais State in Brazil, there is a curious synonym for "puxa saco" — cheiraco. It brings to mind our (2 cities, 3 bags) Americanism "brown nose" which, according to the Random House dictionary, means "to curry favor, to behave obsequiously." Now you know. Colloquialisms pop up just like that in most languages. Some enter the lexicon and become legit. Others hang on for a while then fade out. Others never make the grade. Often the changed meanings follow the folk mores, sociologists tell us. But the phenomenon can be reversed, with mores coming after the new use for a term is introduced. A EXAMPLES: Roman politician running for office would dress in white. Since candidus is the Latin word for "white," the man would become a candidatus (dressed in white). Present day candidates don't bother much PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE with the color they dress in. They use the media to do the job for them. 321 E. 2ND ST. - SUITE 1001 688 W. BAKER ST. - SUITE 3 LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 COSTA MESA, CA 92626 In the fifties, French movie (213) 613-0943 (ENG.) (714) 668-1175 (ENG.) actress Brigitte Bardot starred (213) 613-1521 (SPA.) (714) 668-0515 (SPA.) in a film called "And God Created Woman." In it, la Bardot said merde at least once: the 2130 SAWTELLE BLVD - SUITE 112 9841 AIRPORT BLVD. - SUITE 506 puritanical English subtitle LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 LAX, CA 90045 translated it as "damn," which (310) 641-4894 (ENG. ONLY) (310) 575-4544 (ENG. ONLY) was OK for the times. It had
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Smaller expectations In a global economy with companies looking closer at the bottom line jobs have been the main casualty. For Brazil as for the rest of the capitalistic word the challenge has been how to create new jobs to counterbalance the inevitable downsizing of some businesses. CARLOS EMMANUEL DA FONSECA BARRETO
AT&T recently announced the laying off of 40,000 employees in a reorganization plan to decrease costs. The process of globalization that the world is experiencing has pushed companies to trim their work force to become more competitive. Nowadays, this reduction in employment has been associated with countries embracing free market policies and unemployment haunts every economy on the face of the earth, in both developed and developing countries. According to Henry Farber, an economist at Princeton University, employment stability fell from 10% to 20% for workers between the ages of 45 and 54. Job insecurity is not just for factory floor workers anymore. Executives and all kinds of white collar workers are having to deal with the problem. The vulnerability of these high level workers has echoed to the government machine, and pressured politicians to look at the laws governing business and adjust to the new economic environment in their countries. But how much can an association between globalization and international competition, and low employment be held in balance? The great majority of economists believe that free market policies shift the labor force from one sector to another and that high levels of unemployment reflect the government's inability to deal with economic changes. Argentina, starting in 1991, opened its economy to the world and last year reached a record unemployment rate of 14%. In 1995, 400 thousand Brazilians lost their jobs, the largest number in five years. However, statistical figures showed that during the same period, the average income rose 20.3%, which means that job loss doesn't mean unemployment but a lack of formal contracts. Brazil, with similar policies of economic openness as those adopted by Argentina, has not suffered from profound structural unemployment. The cause of this low unemployment rate is the informal economy which generates millions more jobs than the formal sector. A recent study by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geographic Statistics) has shown that 55% of the Brazilian work force does not have contracts. How can firms support a business law that do not reach half of the country's work force? In January, an accord achieved between the Metalworkers Union and eight groups of industries in the FIESP (Sao Paulo State Industrial Federation) marked the turning point in the dominance of the Brazilian market. The accord promulgates a balance between payroll deductions and workers rights: temporary contracts with lower social assessments. For example, a firm would hire 85 new employees under the new contract while through legal means they could only afford 74 employees. Under current law, the difference in 11 employees' salaries would be consumed in social contribution. President Fernando Henrique Cardoso says that the accord was very positive because the idea came from workers. Nevertheless, the agreement ended up being suspended due to legislative constraints and because of claims that it would favor firms that withhold taxes. According to Congressman Roberto Campos, the laws should adapt to the economy and not 20
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
144
the other way around. Brazil has one of the highest costs of production in the world which is constantly emphasized by the expression "Custo Brasil" (Brazil's Cost). Furthermore, the social responsibility burden represents the highest cost to this Custo Brasil and it creates impediments to economic development. To create more jobs, companies need greater amounts of capital to invest in new plants. The open door policy may cause high levels of unemployment and in order to fight that corollary, the country must adopt strong political commitments to create new jobs. These commitments are incentives to sectors which absorb a greater contingent of the working force (i.e., construction and tourism) and a reform to the labor legislature. In construction, high interest rates impede financing of residential units because the Real stabilization plan requires high interest rates to control consumer spending. Further, the public deficit undermines new infrastructure projects because to balance the budget the government must privatize state-owned enterprises and cut government spending. Therefore, the creation of new jobs through incentives for construction seems difficult to achieve. Along those lines, incentives for tourism depends on a very important factor: fighting crime. Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that has been losing international tourists due to mounting crime rates. Labor Minister Paulo Paiva has committed his term in office to the creation of a new law that institutes temporary working contracts. The project being drafted
is intended to combat the informal sector as well as unemployment. Mr. Paiva promises that companies will spend less on social assessments including dismissal charges. The temporary contract will allow for periods of up to two years and it will be available to 20% of the firm's total employees. Furthermore, no employee may work more than 120 extra hours per year. The ac idental insurance, the educational salary, and the con ributions to SENAC (National Service for Commerci 1 Apprenticeship), SENAI (National Service for Ind strial Apprenticeship), and SEBRAE (Brazilian Serv ce to Medium and Small Enterprises) will have a 100/ deduction. The FGTS (Guaranteed Retirement Fund or Time of Service) falls from the present 8% to a 2% level. Moreover, in lay-offs, the employer will not ha e to give severance pay nor pay the usual 40% penal to the FGTS. The pro ect is unprecedented in Brazilian history, especially i that it has been consented to by firms and unions. Congressional approval is required to institute the new legislation and lobbies have been pressuring politicians to pass the amendment which is scheduled to go into t e plenary assembly in the coming months. The lo g-needed labor reform will boost investments fro firms that have not pursued it due to the constraint f the present social contributions. This in turn shout lead to increasing job offers and a decline in the une ployment rate. It might prove that the socalled liber leconomists are after all correct when they say that fr e market policies require government adjustments t the new economic environment. •
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It is hard to believe that a namely "international correspondent" based in Los Angeles would be able to come up with such a misinformed piece of nonsense. To begin with, the same ethnocentrism (the belief that ones culture is the ideal, and is superior to others) that the author condemns Americans of, clearly permeates her writings about Brazil and its culture. One aspect that has long amazed me is the way Brazilians who live in the United States feel bashed by not being recognized and celebrated as they think they should be. Brazilians have this misconception that our cities, celebrities, as well as particularities of our culture should be known by all Americans. And the question is... Why? One should keep in mind that the knowledge and appreciation for soccer, lambada, Carnaval, along with other details about Brazilian culture are by no means necessary nor sufficient to judge an American's general knowledge or cultural level. We must remember that the Americans mainly Anglo Saxon and Puritan origins tend to polarize with our predominantly Portuguese and African heritage. Besides, I wonder how many Brazilians know where Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad or even Chihuahua and Torreon are located? These are cities of countries that have a similar socioeconomic profile to Brazil, rather than being 10 times poorer, which equals the comparison of Brazil with the United States in terms of GNP per capita. Moreover, take 5 minutes and think about what you know of the Bosnia situation or think of three new countries which emerged out of the Russian Federation. I am sure many Brazilians do not know much at all about these and other recent events simply because these issues do not directly affect their lives. In contrast, the United States directly affects the lives of people all over the world through its scientific discoveries, film and music industry, tourism, finan22
No way! Since we've published in our January issue "America, the an interview with Ana Maria Bahiana, a Brazilian correspondent on the West Coast, readers have fired a volley of opinions pro and against the author and her critical book America de A a Z from which we presented short excerpts. Now, a Brazilian psychologist and law student writes an extensive rebuttal to Bahiana's ideas and says: "Brazilians who live in the United States ought to be more realistic, give up the competitive attitude, and work out the inferiority complex. To paint America as a futile land and perpetuate the myth that Americans are a bunch of idiots is by far more ignorant than to recognize what Brazil really is and what we must do to change it." IARA MORTON
Ana Mari- Bahiana
cial aid, political and military power, and especially with its open boarders to immigrants. Now, think about the contributions of Brazil to the world, and especially to the United States. Of course we can enumerate some, but certainly not enough to justify the attention and prestige we claim to deserve. In fact, the only two main issues of importance that I would think an American should know about are the rain forest, and perhaps our huge economic debt to their banks. In regards to recognizing our celebrities, how many Brazilians know the names of the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, or the pitcher for the New York Yankees? I expect no Brazilians to know their names nor details of these games since football and baseball are not popular nor played in Brazil. In like manner, it makes sense to expect countries which contain and enjoy professional soccer leagues to know of Pele and Romario's exceptional talents. Still, I can concede why Brazilians would want the wOrld to know about our soccer stars, or even labor leader and presidential candidate Luis Inacio Lula da Silva who, despite his limited education, has gained enormous popularity through his strong will, radical ideas, and vision to better the plight of the average Brazilian. In contrast, knowing the works of Xuxa and the interviewer Bruna Lombardi can only depreciate our image even more. While in the United States many Hollywood actors and directors graduate from Ivy League schools such as Yale, Princeton, and others, our representative Bruna who often interviews several of these major celebrities simply epitomizes "the pretty face without a brain", which is the secret that explains the success of many women in Brazil, including Xuxa. On sex, the statement NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
that she also calls absurd that "in Brazil... everybody has sex whenever they feel like it without fear of Aids" just shows how little she knows about Brazilian sexual behavior. Presently, the city of Recife is one of the most popular prostittititit4aW"' tals of the world, and Aids victims have been increasing in alarming numbers among the youth of some cities in the south of Brazil. In addition, Brazil is close to being the leader in violation and abuse of 'children's rights. When the author makes these comments "In Brazil iesiegat. to kill little children"... "they kill little children fl, the streets just because they beg" absurdities, I . wonder if she has been following the news about Brazil during these last nine years that She has been living in the United States-,, ,Need I remind my contPatriots of the hideous massacres and death-squads' that roam the streets and filvelas of the big cities annihilating the little ones? To call these actions .71egal" may be incorrect, but to admit that they are tolerated and still encouraged is a matter of fact. As far as racism is concerned, I do see segregation and racial conflicts in the United States. At the same time, I also see many African Americans, Asians, Hispanics and Midatpga.sternet-Sas prominent Doctors, Lawyers, Uttlyerty'Pro*ssors, TV reporters, Politicians, Scientists and'the.like. To narrow the issue to ortty'bIncks„one must remember that they coniptise only. 134$ if the population of the United States', and are.refati*ely'Wettlepresented in the pro ft..ls [(mat añdflitical arefinS'especially when compared Brtiiitian counterparts. r Brazilian blacks and mtttos' egAprise over 50% of the popyttntbn and ye,( still -in rid it hard 40 think of one blackpqrSon who'..ieno.t.a musician., actor, or soccer star Who nasa4ievea aposition of status in .f3razeik: T say that we .have found solutions for our problems iSIgnO:ance in its teiost pristine form. The reality is thartlie mingling most non-black Brazilians have*ith blacksis':ianert,they pay them the miserable'.Wages for Wqii that is slightly better than slave 194 ,2r. 3 My view is thatBi'aiigans whet live in the United States ought tobe more realistic, give up the' competitive attitude, and work out the inferiority complex. So many Brazilians tel ashamed when we open our gigantic can of worms. Those who feel so denigrated by our dilemMas:,. should' come to realize that it is by hiding our weakifesses-tlitowe will never encounter solutions to bring about ur- • gent changes in our beloved country. By creating a fantasy -.World Where they keep considering the m i I lionsr:ooatity town dwellers, abandoned children, and "hentiefeis-As.oiaiii razilians take a defensive poStutiii:or 'author, bkioks in the style of "America.diA,Oti ', just to make a few people feel (=ood. It is ttot thitt some of u$ face our self-esteem defieienefeS, be real. :To paint ;4'1 4 America as a 414tei, ,r.nyth NEWS from BRAZIL - Mi1996
that American are a bunch of idiots is by far more ignorant than t recognize what Brazil really is and what we MIS o to change it. Instead Of attempting to expose the ills of Amdt-ethir ould concentrate on writing valuable- insights t help heal the ills of Brazil. In fact, do know mai y Americans who know Brazil quite well and often travel in groups, not of tourism and not to the hot spots, but rather to the depressed areas Of the b g cities or to remote places of the country volun eering their time and efforts to lielp alleviate some. of the pain of the people. The Ameni ans who do know about the Brazilian scenario d not sugarcoat reality as Brazilians often do, but r ther, react with sympathy or avoidance. After all, what the author cites as another absurd comm nt "it's very, very dangerous to go there", is hor ificly true. Rio and So Paulo are documented t day as having some of the highest crime ratios p r capita in the world. No doubt ahiana's writings reflect simply the environment he has been living in -as well as her own personal experiences. More precisely, her writings simpk express the frustrations of a Brazilian who feels out of place, belittled, without an identity, who nds up perpetuating the hasty generalization that II Americans are stupid, tacky, and arrogant. To call that an account of American culture is utte ly preposterous. It must be i ointed out that had the author socialized with Am ricans of post graduate and Ph.D. levels, comm i nplace especially in California, her A to Z would ave contained very different definitions. Besides some absurdities said by the white trash of Aine ica or the ordinary American certainly does no top the absence of any knowledge of the poviio of razil who, sadly, comprise around 80% of the p pulation, one fourth of which are illiterate. SO c Brazilians are proud and love to boast about t emselves failing to realize that the 5% of Brazi-li ns who are highly educated and well off are by no leans:a representative sample of the population 9f Brazil.. Ther5alit • is that Brazilians have. much to learn . from Anteriea and Americans, and perhaps through - this -10044 rocess we cmcome to achieve the recognitkon a d appreciation we long for. Before the author pu fishes "America de A a Z" part 2, let's hope th t Ana Maria Bahiana does a more extensive and reliable job of research rather than focus OrOrivi lity and nonsense. As far as.' -Yself, it may seem to some that I am spellbound Itt,. the American dream and naïve to the problems that exist here. On the contrary, my academic- endea orS, constant traveling worldwide, and critical se se, simply forces me to confront the truth even wh ñ it requires exposing the ills of the land I love th mosti., my own country Brazil. lara Moron has a BA. in Psychology & Social BëIiiiQiö'r and isa Law student. 23
Every day, hundreds of men — and some women — cover the dusty pot-holed streets of this little god-forsaken town some 400 miles south of Belem do Para. Self proclaimed would-be garimpeiros like 49 year old Jose Roberto Parello, who has a Law degree, have come to Serra Pelada to seek riches from the soil, just like thousands had come one decade before for the same reason. "I have gold in my blood," says Parello. "I need it to survive" No wonder. Expert sources have predicted that just some 1,200 feet beneath the surface lies the second largest gold vein in the world, calculated at about 150 tons. This is more than triple the amount that had been excavated years before at the same site, some 40 tons or so. The new gold rush has been triggered by a recent announcement by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce — a Rio based enterprise — that a "super-vein" had been discovered some 650 feet below the surface of the older Serra Pelada mine. What followed next was pandemonium and a virtual stampede. The now impoverished town of Serra Pelada had seen this type of invasion before: in the 80's, an army of over 80,000 people took over 120 foot hill and replaced it with a 300 foot deep hole. But that is only part of the story. Most of the hundreds of garimpeiros that have arrived so far are free-lancers, fortune seekers out on their own. Most believe that they have a right to stake their claims "a la 1849" California gold rush. They're wrong: Vale de Rio Doce's financial muscle is. And confrontation is already abounds. Just recently over 500 aspiring garimpeiros blocked Serra Pelada's dusty main road for over 24 hours, demanding that the company be kept out; military police officers were called in to quell the outbreak, and a "resistance movement" was immediately formed. Although probing equipment has been placed, it will be the Brazilian courts which will have the final say in the matter, particularly on whether or not Rio Doce — a state-run enterprise — should be privatized. Last February, Roberto Carosi, the legal representative for the Sindicato dos Garimpeiros (Mining Prospector' s Union) and who himself had previously worked for the Rio Doce consortium, filed court documents challenging Rio Doce's claim to the prospecting enterprise. According to Carosi, these rights had been granted in 1988, under article 174 of the Constitution, to a group called Mista de Garimpeiros de Serra Pelada. On the other hand, the Coordinating Superintendent for Vale do Rio Doce, Joao Lima Teixeira states that the legal title belongs to the firm: "It was granted by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in 1974," he says. The town is within the municipality of CurionopOlis, the name having derived from a congressman named Sebastiao Rodrigues de Moura nicknamed "major CuriO" and who governed the region with an iron hand This latest episode brings the town of Serra Pelada full circle from where it was just 10 years ago, when the exploitation of the gold mine peaked. Meanwhile, the legal hassles continue. A judge within the local jurisdiction sided with the Rio Doce consortium, and the Attorney for the garimpeiros has appealed to the Appeals Court in Belem, advancing that it would go to the Supreme Court if need be. In fact, Rio Doce has chosen to take the back door as well, by purchasing all the surrounding land near the mine site — some 7,000 hectares — and closing the access, "They are trying to kill us by asphyxiation," says Fernando Marcolino, president of the Sindicato dos Garimpeiros. The land purchase was carried out by Companhia de Promocao Agricola, which, according to Marcolino is nothing more than a front company controlled by Rio Doce. 24
'édde áfterhe fs irst ih,lhe mob itiiack , n in Serra F'el4da: , aFe coming daily by ' i a , acklbads from all over likes to • B'a zil. EVerybddy I lIthe rag-to-riches story of ' dio, a man who arrived flat n and left a ,broke in tow, ; 4 illionake-irclheprevious gad rush's.I9r every indio, fittfav r,,there are,tat ,ho' . di* who go back worse off than .t., when they. came in; CALO/RAVELO
— This was the first rush .7„ • NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
The men who live and have passed through Serra 40 tons of gold extracted from Serra Pelada did not Pelada are rough and tough; but does that make the leave any permanent local wealth. The huge hole, the women any more fragile? Women like Maria dos equivalent size of two Maracan'a Stadiums (a socSantos and Ana Maria de Souza Castro are as tough cer stadium in Rio with room for 200,000 people) as any man. Having migrated to Serra Pelada from put together, is now a small lagoon. No improvePiaui during the heyday of the 80's in a truck, she ment to the infrastructure was ever carried out Most found out that women were forbidden in the camp, either. Fhe town lacks water and light, and most believe and although her husband had been working in the homes are made of simple wood frames. that mines, the Brazilian military had kept a tight lid on Serra Pelada, in spite of its brief fame, remains access to the site, purportedly for security reasons. they an example of a more primitive Brazil. "No one She was only able to stay three days then. should try to stampede back over here," says have a Says Ana Maria, "When I was able to get off the Marcolino. "We lack the infrastructure to receive right to truck, I looked around for my husband and could so many people. But garimpeiros from all over the not identify him from amongst all those men covstake country continue to arrive. ered in mud." It was only in 1985 that Ana was able Says Luis Gonzaga, ex-garimpeiro who now their to move into town. "Entry of the women was owns a local hotel; "People will kill or die for that claims permitted, but not for cachaca (sugar cane ligold." Gonzaga is also under fear. Having arrived quor)," she adds. la in 1984 and later remaining there, he lodged most Part of the opening was due to the steps taken of the government technicians assigned to the site. 1849" by a woman named Jacinta, who worked clandesThe garimpeiros have harassed him since. California tinely as a garimpeira. Wanting to "get legal" she But common sense is not very common here. gold approached the military authorities wishing to regCases like that of Jose Marino dos Santos, who ister. Upon being told that "as a woman" she arrived dirt-poor and left a millionaire, have rush. couldn't, she requested to see the precise orders to prompted many to have delusions of attaining that effect. No one had any idea where they were, unfounded wealth. Jose, also known as Indio, was or even if they truly existed. After that, it was a able to exploit almost a ton of gold. He eventually flood of females. lost it all in a maddening rampage of spending, having Even then, women were never annoyed by anyone. on one occasion rented a Boeing jet, just to visit a "The unwritten law was that everyone there — even girlfriend in Rio. women were just like any other guy until second There is another Serra Pelada too. Those are the notice", adds Ana Maria. locals who have more faith in God than in the mines. In spite of all the wealth that ran through the hands And that's the reason why the local Assembly of God of thousands of mine workers and the government, the and the Catholic Church are always full.
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The Alienist Simi() Bacamarte explained that Dona Evarista possessed first-class physiological and anatomical conditions, she digested with ease, slept well, had a good pulse, and excellent sight; she was thus fit to give him robust, healthy and smart children.
MACHADO DE ASSIS
De como ltaguai ganhou uma casa de Orates As cri5nicas da vila de Itagual dizem que em tempos remotos vivera au i urn certo medico, o Dr. Simao Bacamarte, filho da nobreza da terra e o major dos medicos do Brasil, de Portugal e das Espanhas. Estudara em Coimbra e Padua. Aos trinta e quatro anos regressou ao Brasil, nao podendo el-rei alcancar dele que ficasse 28
em Coimbra, regendo a universidade, ou em Lisboa, expedindo os negOcios da monarquia. — A ciencia, disse ele a Sua majestade, d o meu emprego 6nico; Itaguai e o meu universo. Dito isto, meteu-se em Itaguai, e entregou-se :de corpo e alma ao estudo da ciencia, alternando as curas corn as leituras, e demonstrando os teoremas corn cataplasmas. Aos quarenta anos casou corn D. Evarista da Costa e Mascarenhas, senhora de vinte e cinco anos, viva de um juiz de fora, e nao bonita nem simpatica. Urn dos tios dele, cacador de pacas perante o Eterno, e na'o 'menos franco, admirou-se de semelhante escolha e Simao Bacamarte explicou-lhe que D. Evarista reunia condicties fisiologicas e anatomicas de primeira ordem, digeria corn facilidade, dorm ia regularmente, tinha born pulso, e excelente vista; estava assim apta para dar-lhe filhos robustos, saos e inteligentes. Se alem dessas prendas, — un icas dignas de preocupacao de urn sabio, D. Evarista era mal composta de feicOes, longe de lastima-lo, agradecia-o a Deus, porquanto nao corria o risco de preterir os interesses da ciencia na contemplacao exclusiva, miCida e vulgar da consorte. D. Evarista mentiu as esperancas do Dr. Bacamarte, nao Ihe deu filhos robustos nem mofinos. A indole natural da ciencia e a longanimidade; o nosso medico esperou tres anos, depois quatro, depois cinco. Ao cabo desse tempo fez urn estudo profundo da materia, releu todos os escritores arabes e outros, que trouxera para Itagual, enviou consultas as universidades italianas e alemas, e acabou por aconselhar mulher urn regimen alimenticio especial. A ilustre dama, nutrida exclusivamente corn a bela carne de porco de Itaguai, nao atendeu as admoestacOes do esposo; a sua resistencia mas inqualificavel, — devemos a total extincao da dinastia dos Bacamartes. Mas a cie'ncia tern o inefavel dom de curar todas as mag,oas; o nosso medico merg,ulhou inteiramente no estudo e na pratica da medicina. Foi entao que urn dos recantos desta lhe chamou especialmente a atencao, — o recanto psiquico, o exame da patologia cerebral. Nao havia na colonia, e ainda no reino, uma so autoridade em semelhante materia, mal explorada, ou quase inexplorada. Simao Bacamarte compreendeu que a cleric ia lusitana, e particularmente a brasileira, podia cobrir-se de "louros imarcesciveis", — expressao usada por ele mesmo, mas em urn arroubo de intim idade domestica; exteriormente era modesto, segundo convem aos sabedores. — A sa6cle da alma, bradou ele, é a ocupacao mak digna do medico. — Do verdadeiro medico, emendou Crispim Soares, boticario da vita, e urn dos seus amigos e comensais. A vereanca de Itaguai, entre outros pecados de que é arguida pelos cronistas, tinha o de nao fazer caso dos dementes. Assim e que cada louco furioso era trancado em uma alcova, na pr6pria casa, e, nao curado, mas descurado, ate que a morte o vinha defraudar do beneficio da NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
vida; os mansos andavam a solta pela rua. Simao Bacamarte entendeu desde logo reformar tao ruim costume; pediu licenca a camara para agasalhar e tratar no edificio que ia construir todos os loucos de !tactual e das demais vilas e cidades, mediante urn estipendio, que a camara Ihe daria quando a familia do enfermo o nao pudesse fazer. A proposta excitou a curiosidade de toda a vila, e encontrou grande resistencia, tao certo é que dificilmente se desarraigam habitos absurdos, ou ainda maus. A ideia de meter os loucos na mesma casa vivendo em comum, pareceu em si mesma sintoma de demencia e nao faltou quem o insinuasse a prOpria mulher do medico. — Olhe, D. Evarista, disse-Ihe o padre Lopes, vigario do lugar, veja se seu marido da urn passeio ao Rio de Janeiro. 1st° de estudar sempre, sempre, nao e born, vira o juizo. D. Evarista ficou aterrada. Foi ter corn o marido, disse-Ihe "que estava corn desejos", urn principalmente, o de vir ao Rio de Janeiro e corner tudo o que a ele Ihe parecesse adequado a certo fim. Mas aquele grande homem, corn a rara sagacidade que o distinguia, penetrou a intencao da esposa e redargiiiu-lhe sorrindo que nao tivesse medo. Dali foi a camara, onde os vereadores debatiam a proposta, e defendeu-a coin tanta eloquéncia, que a maioria resolveu autoriza-lo ao que pedira, votando ao mesmo tempo um imposto destinado a subsidiar o tratamento, alojamento e mantimento dos doidos pobres. A materia do imposto nao foi facil achala; tudo estava tributado em Itaguai. Depois de longos estudos, assentou-se em permitir o uso de dois penachos nos cavalos dos enterros. Quem quisesse emplumar os cavalos de um coche mortuario pagaria dois tostOes a Camara, repetindo-se tantas vezes esta quantia quantas fossem as horas decorridas entre a do falecimento e a da ultima bencao na sepultura. 0 escrivao perdeu-se nos calculos aritmeticos do rendimento possiVel da nova taxa; e urn dos vereadores, que na'o acreditava na empresa do medico, pediu que se relevasse o escrivao de um trabalho inntil. — Os calculos nab sao precisos, disse ele, porque o Dr. Bacamarte nab arranja nada. Quern é que viu agora meter todos os doidos dentro da mesma casa? Enganava-se o digno mattistrado; o medico arranjou tudo. Uma vez empossado da licenca comecou logo a construir a casa. Era na Rua Nova, a mais bela rua de Itaguai naquele tempo; tinha cinquenta janelas por lado, urn patio no centro, e numerosos cubiculos para os hOspedes. Como fosse grande arabista, achou no Corao que Maome declara veneraveis os doidos, pela consideracao de que Ala Ihes tira o juizo para que nab pequem. A ideia pareceu-lhe bonita e profunda, e ele a fez gravar no frontispicio da casa; mas, como tinha medo ao vigario, e por tabela ao bispo, atribuiu o pensamento a Benedito VIII, merecendo corn essa fraude alias pia, que o padre Lopes Ihe contasse, ao almoco, a vida daquele pontifice eminente. NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
A Casa Verde foi o nome dado ao asilo, por alusao a cor das janelas, que pela primeira vez apareciam verdes em Itagual. Inaugurou-se corn imensa pompa; de todas as vilas e povoacoes prOximas, e ate remotas, e da pr6pria cidade do Rio de Janeiro, correu gente para assistir as cerimonias, que duraram sete dias. Muitos dementesja estavam recolhidos; e os parentes tiveram ocasiao de ver o carinho paternal e a caridade crista corn que eles iam ser tratados. D. Evarista, contentissima corn a glOria do marido, vestiu-se luxuosamente, cobriu-se de jOias, flores e sedas. Ela foi uma verdadeira rainha naqueles dias memoraveis; ninguem deixou de ir visita-la duas e tres vezes, apesar dos costumes caseiros e recatados do seculo, e nao so a cortejavam como a louvavam; porquanto, — e este fato 6 um document° altamente honroso para a sociedade do tempo, — porquanto viam nela a feliz esposa de um alto espirito, de um varao i lustre, e, se Ihe tinham inveja, era a santa e nobre inveja dos admiradores. Ao cabo de sete dias expiraram as festas pnblicas; Itaguai tinha finalmente uma casa de Orates.
II
Torrentes de loucos Tres dias depois, numa expansao intima coin o boticario Crispim Soares, desvendou o alienista o misterio do seu coracao. — A caridade, Sr. Soares, entra decerto no meu procedimento, mas entra como tempero, como o sal das coisas, que é assim que interpreto o dito de S. Paulo aos Corintios: "Se eu conhecer quanto se pode saber, e nab tiver caridade, nao sou nada.- 0 principal nesta minha obra da Casa Verde e estudar profundamente a loucura, os seus diversos graus, classificar-Ihe os casos, descobrir en fim a causa do fenomeno e o remedio universal. Este e o misterio do meu coracao. Creio que corn isto presto um born servico a humanidade. — Um excelente servico, corrigiu o boticario. — Sem este asilo, continuou o alienista, pouco poderia fazer; ele da-me, porem, muito maior campo aos meus estudos. Muito maior, acrescentou o outro. E tinha razao. De todas as vilas e arraiais vizinhos afluiam loucos a Casa Verde. Eram furiosos, eram mansos, eram monomaniacos, era toda a fam ilia dos deserdados do espirito. Ao cabo de quatro meses, a Casa Verde era uma povoacao. Nao bastaram os primeiros cubiculos; mandou-se anexar uma galeria de mais trinta e sete. 0 padre Lopes confessou que nao imaginara a existencia de tantos doidos no mundo, e menos ainda o inexplicavel de alguns casos. Urn, por exemplo, um rapaz bronco e vilao, que todos os dias, depois do almoco, fazia regularmente um discurso academic°, ornado de tropos, de antiteses, de apOstrofes, corn seus recamos de grego e latim, e suas borlas de Cicero, Apuleio e Tertuliano. 0 vigario na'o queria acabar de crer. Que! urn rapaz que ele vira, tres meses antes, jogando peteca na rua! —Nao ditto que nao, respondia-Ihe o alienista; mas a verdade é o que Vossa Reverendissima esta vendo. 1st° é todos os dias. — Quanto a mim, tornou o vigario, sO se pode explicar pela confusao das linguas na torre de Babel, segundo nos conta a Escritura; provavelmente, confundidas antigamente as linguas, facil troca-las agora, desde que a razao nao trabalhe... — Essa pode ser, corn efeito, a explicacao divina do fenomeno, concordou o alienista depois de refletir um instante, mas nao impossivel que haja tambem alguma razao humana, e puramente cientifica, e disso trato... — Va que seja, e fico ansioso. Realmente! 29
espantavam pelo curioso do delirio. 0 primeiro, urn falcao, rapaz de vinte cinco anos, supunha-se estrela-d'alva, abria os bracos e alargava as pernas, para dar-lhes certa feicao de raios, e ficava assim horas esquecidas a perguntar se o sol já tinha saido para etc recolher-se. 0 outro andava sempre, sempre, sempre, a roda das salas ou do patio, ao longo dos corredores a procura do fim do mundo. Era urn desgracado, a quern a mulher deikou por seguir urn peralvilho. Mal descobrira a fuga, armou-se de uma garrucha, e saiu-lhes no encalco, achou-os duas horas depois, ao pe de uma lagoa, matou-os a ambos corn os maiores requintes de crueldade. 0 ciume satisfez-se, mas o vingado estava louco. E entao comecou aquela ansia de ir ao fim do mundo a cata dos fugitivos. A mania das grandezas tinha exemplares notaveis. 0 mais notavel era urn pobre diabo, filho de urn algibebe, que narrava as paredes (porque nao olhava nunca para nenhuma pessoa) toda a sua genealogia, que era esta: — Deus engendrou um ovo, o ovo engendrou a espada, a espada engendrou Davi, Davi engendrou a purpura, a pOrpura engendrou O duque, o duque engendrou o marques, o marques engendrou o conde, que sou Cu. Dava uma pancada na testa, urn estalo corn os dedos, e repetia cinco, seis vezes seguidas: — Deus engendrou um ovo, o ovo, etc. Outro da mesma especie era um escrivao, que se vendia por mordomo do rei; outro era urn boiadeiro de Minas, cuja mania era distribuir boiadas a toda a gente, dava trezentas cabecas a urn, seiscentas a outro, mil e duzentas a outro, e nao acabava mais. Nao falo dos casos de monomania religiosa; apenas citarei urn sujeito que, chamando-se Joao de Deus, dizia ser o deus Joao, e prometia O reino dos ceus a quern o adorasse e as penas do inferno aos outros; e depois desse, o licenciado Garcia, que nao dizia nada, porque imaginava que no dia em que chegasse a proferir uma se• palavra, todas as estrelas se despregariam do ceu e abrasariam a terra; tat era O poder que recebera de Deus. Assim o escrevia etc no papel que o alienista the mandava dar, menos por caridade do que por interesse cientifico. Que, na verdade, a paciencia do alienista era ainda mais extraordinaria do que todas as manias hospedadas na Casa Verde; nada menos que assombrosa. Simao Bacamarte comecou por organizar um pessoal de administracao; e, aceitando esta ideia ao boticario Crispim Soares, aceitou-lhe tambem dois sobrinhos, a quem incumbiu da execucao de urn regiment° que lhes deu, aprovado pela Camara, da distribuicao da comida e da roupa, e assim tambem da escrita, etc. Era o melhor que podia fazer, para somente cuidar do seu oficio. --- A Casa Verde, disse ele ao vigario, é agora uma especie de mundo, em que ha o governo temporal e govern° espiritual. E o padre Lopes na deste pio trocado, — e acrescentava, Deixe estar, — corn o Unico fim de dizer tambem uma chalaca: deixe estar, que hei de manda-lo denunciar ao papa. Uma vez desonerado da administracao, o alienista procedeu a uma vasta classificacao dos seus enfermos. Dividiu-os primeiramente em duas classes principais: os furiosos e os mansos; dal passou as subclasses, monomanias, delirios, alucinacoes diversas. 1st° feito, comecou urn estudo acurado e continuo; analisava os habitos de cada louco, as horas de acesso, as aversOes, as simpatias, as palavras, os gestos, as tendencias; inquiria da vida dos enfermos, profissao, costumes, circunstancias da revelacao mOrbida, acidentes da infancia e da mocidade, doencas de outra especie, antecedentes na farnibia, uma devassa, enfim, como a nao faria o mais atilado corregedor. E cada dia notava uma observacao nova, uma descoberta interessante, urn fenomeno extraordinario. Ao mesmo tempo estudava o melhor regimen, as substancias medicamentosas, os meios curativos e os theios paliativos, nao so os que vinham nos seus amados arabes, como os que etc mesmo descobria, torca da sagacidade e paciencia. Ora, todo esse trabalho levara-lhe4melhor 30
e o ma do tempo. Mal dorm ia e mal comia; e, ainda cmendo. era como se trabalhasse, porque ora int rrogava urn texto antigo, ora ruminava uma qtrestao, e ia muitas vezes de urn cabo a outro do jantar sem dizer uma s6 palavra a D. Evarista.
III Deus sabe o que faz A itustte dama, ao fim de dois meses, achoui se a rriais desgracada das mulheres; caiu em profuntrla melancolia, ficou amarela, magra, comia ipouco e suspirava a cada canto. Nao k ousavat fazer-lhe nenhuma queixa ou reproche, porqud respeitava nele o seu marido e senhor, mas pailecia calada, e definhava a olhos vistos. Urn di ai ao jantar, como the perguntasse o marido o que 0 que tinha, respondeu tristemente que nada; if epois atreveu-se urn pouco, e foi ao ponto la e dizer que se considerava tao viCiva •como ntes. E acrescentou: poem diria nunca que meia dizia de lunaticbs... Na9 acabou a frase; ou antes, acabou-a os olhos, que levant4ndo os olhos ao teto, cram 4' sua feicao mais insinuante - negros, grandes, lavados de uma luz Om ida, como Os da auroral Quanto ao gesto, era o mesmo que empregara no dia ern que Simao Bacamarte a pediu dm casamento. Nao dizem as cronicas se D. Evatista brandiu aquela arma corn o perverso intuitoidc degolar de uma vez a ciencia, ou, pelo menosi decepar-lhe as maos; mas a conjetura 6 verossrmil. Em todo caso, o alienista nao the atribuiu intencao. E nao se irritou o grande homenl, nao ficou sequer consternado. 0 metal de seu'1olhos nao deixou de ser o mesmo metal, duro, iso, eterno, nem a menor prega veio quebrat a superficie da &mite quieta como a agua itie Botafogo. Talvez um sorriso Ihe desceraou os labios, por entre os quais filtrou esta palavra macia como o Oleo do Cantle° : — Consinto que vas dar urn passel() ao Rio de Janairo. D. varista sentiu faltar-lhe o chao debaixo dos pe ,. Nunca dos nuncas vira o Rio de Janeiro, que pol;to nao fosse sequer uma palida sombra do quelioje 6, todavia era alguma coisa mais do que Itaguai. Ver o Rio de Janeiro, para eta, equivalia ao sonho do hebreu cativo. Agora, principalmente, que o marido assentara de vez naquela povoacao interior, agora 6 que eta perdera as ultimas esperancas de respirar os ares da no4a boa cidade; e justamente agora e que etc a clonvidara a realizar os seus desejos de men ina e mop. D. Evarista nao Ode dissimular o gosh) de semelhante proposta. Simao Bacamarte pegou-lhe a mao e sorriu, — urn sorriso tanto quanto filosOfico, alem de conjugal, em que parecia traduzir-se este pensamento: NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
— "Nao ha remedio certo para as dores da alma; esta senhora definha, porque the parece que a nao amo; dou-lhe o Rio de Janeiro, e consolase." E porque era homem estudioso tomou nota da observacao. Mas urn dardo atravessou o coracao de D. Evarista. Conteve-se, entretanto; limitou-se a dizer ao marido que, se ele nao ia nao iria tambem, porque nao havia de meter-se sozinha pe las estradas. — Ira corn sua tia, redarginu o alienista. Note-se que D. Evarista tinha pensado nisso mesmo; mas no quisera pedi-lo nem insinua-lo, em prime iro lugar porque seria impor grandes despesas ao marido, ern segundo lugar porque era melhor, mais met6dico e racional que a proposta viesse dele. —Oh! mas o dinheiro que sera preciso gastar! suspirou D. Evarista sem conviccao. — Que importa? Temos ganho muito, disse o marido. Ainda ontem o escriturario prestoume contas. Queres ver? E levou-a aos livros. D. Evarista ficou deslumbrada. Era uma via-lactea de algarismos. E depois levou-a as arcas, onde estava o dinheiro. Deus! eram montes de ouro, eram mil cruzados sobre mil cruzados, dobrOes sobre dobrOes; era a opulencia. Enquanto eta comia o ouro com os seus olhos negros, o alienista fitava-a, e dizia-lhe ao ouvido corn a mais perfida das alusOes: — Quem diria que meia dUzia de lunaticos... D. Evarista compreendeu, sorriu e respondeu com muita resignacao: — Deus sabe o que faz! Tres meses depois efetuava-se a jornada. D. Evarista, a tia, a mulher do boticario, um sobrinho deste, um padre que o alienista conhecera em Lisboa, e que de aventura achava-se em Itaguai, cinco ou seis pajens, quatro mucamas, tat foi a comitiva que a populacao viu dali sair em certa manha do mes de maio. As despedidas foram tristes para todos, menos para o alienista. Conquanto as lagrimas de D. Evarista fossem abundantes e sinceras, nao chegaram a abala-lo. Homem de ciencia; e se alguma coisa o preocupava naquela ocasiao, se ele deixava correr pela multidao um olhar inquieto e policial, no era outra coisa mais do que a iddia de que algum demente podia achar-se ali misturado com a gente de juizo. — Adeus! solucaram enfim as damas e o boticario. E partiu a comitiva. Crispim Soares, ao tornar a casa, trazia os olhos entre as duas orelhas da besta ruana em que vinha montado; Simao Bacamarte alongava os seus pelo horizonte adiante, deixando ao cavalo a responsabilidade do regresso. Imagem vivaz do genio e do vulgo! Um fita o presente corn todas as suas lagrimas e saudades, outro devassa o futuro com todas as suas auroras.
Iv Uma teoria nova Ao passo que D. Evarista, em lagrimas, vinha buscando o Rio de Janeiro, Simao BacamOrte estudava por todos os lados uma certa ideia arrojada e nova, propria a alargar as bases da psicologia. Todo o tempo que the sobrava dos cuidados da Casa Verde, era pouco para andar na rua, ou de casa em casa, conversando as gentes, sobre trinta mil assuntos, e virgulando as falas de urn olhar que metia medo aos mais her6icos. Urn dia de manha, — eram passadas tres semanas, — estando Crispim Soares ocupado em temperar urn medicamento, vieram dizer-lhe que o alienista o mandava chamar. — Trata-se de neg6cio importante, segundo ele me disse, acrescentou o portador. Crispim empalideceu. Que negOcio importante podia ser, se nao alguma noticia da comitiva, e especialmente da mulher? Porque este topic° deve ficar claramente definido, visto insistirem nele os cronistas: Crispim amava a mulher, e, desde trinta anos, nunca estiveram separados urn s6 dia. Assim se explicavam os monOlogos que ele fazia agora, e que os famulos the ouviam muita vez: "Anda, bem feito, quem te mandou consentir na viagem de Cesaria? Bajulador, torpe bajulador! SO para adular ao Dr. Bacamarte. Pois agora agilenta-te; anda, agilenta-te, alma de lacaio, fracalhao, vil, miseravel. Dizes amem a tudo, nao e? ai tens o lucro, biltre!" — E muitos outros nomes feios, que urn homem no deve dizer aos outros, quanto mais a si mesmo. Daqui a imaginar o efeito do recado é urn nada. Tao depresa ele o recebeu como abriu mdo das drogas e voou a Casa Verde. Simao Bacamarte r cebeu-o corn a alegria pr6pria de urn sabio, uma alegria abotoada de circunspecao ate o pescoco. — Estou muito contente, disse ele. — Noticias do nosso povo? perguntou o boticario corn a voz tremula. 0 alienista fez urn gest° magnifico, e respondeu: — Trata-se de coisa mais alta, trata-se de uma experiencia cientifica. Digo experiencia, porque nao me atrevo a assegurar desde ja a minha iddia; nem a ciencia e outra coisa, Sr. Soares, senao uma investigacao constante. Trata-se, pois, de uma experiencia, mas uma experiencia que vai mudar a face da terra. A loucura, objeto dos meus estudos, era ate agora uma ilha perdida no oceano da razao; comeco a suspeitar que é urn continente. Disse isto, e calon-se, para ruminar o pasmo do boticario. Depois explicou compridamente a sua iddia. No conceito dele a insania abrangia uma vasta superficie de cerebros; e desenvolveu isto coin grande copia de raciocinios, de textos, de exemplos. Os exemplos achou-os na historia e em Itaguai; mas, como urn raro espirito que era, reconheceu o perigo de citar todos os casos de Itaguai, e refugiou-se na historia. Assim, apontou corn especialidade alguns personagens celebres, Socrates, que tinha urn demonio familiar, Pascal, que via urn abismo a esquerda, Maome, Caracala, Domiciano, Caligula, etc., uma enfiada de casos e pessoas, em que de mistura vinham entidades odiosas, e entidades ridiculas. E porque o boticario se admirasse de uma tal promiscuidade, o alienista disse-lhe que era tudo a mesma coisa, e ate acrescentou sentenciosamente: — A ferocidade, Sr. Soares, é o grotesco a seri°. — Gracioso, muito gracioso! exclamou Crispim Soares, levantando as maos ao Quanto a iddia de ampliar o territorio da loucura, achou-a o boticario extravagante; mas a modestia, principal adorno de seu espirito, nao the sofreu confessar outra coisa alem de urn nobre entusiasmo; declarou-a sublime e verdadeira, e acrescentou que era 31
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
"caso de matraca". Esta expressao nao tern equivalente no estilo moderno. Naquele tempo, Itaguai, que como as demais vilas, arraiais e povoacOes da colonia, nao dispunha de imprensa, tinha dois modos de divulgar uma noticia; ou por meio de cartazes manuscritos e pregados na porta da camara e da matriz; — ou por meio de matraca. Eis em que consistia este segundo uso. Contratava-se um homem, por urn ou mais dias, para andar as ruas do povoado, corn uma matraca na mao. De quando em quando tocava a matraca, reunia-se gente e ele anunciava o que lhe incumbiam, — um remedio para sez'Oes, umas terras lavradias, urn soneto, um donativo eclesiastico, a melhor tesoura da vita, o mais belo discurso do ano, etc. 0 sistema tinha inconvenientes para a paz pablica; mas era conservado pela grande energia de divulgacao que possuia. Por exemplo, urn dos vereadores, — aquele justamente que mais se opusera a criacao da Casa Verde, — desfrutava a reputacao de perfeito educador de cobras e macacos, e alias nunca domesticara um sO desses bichos; mas tinha o cuidado de fazer trabalhar a matraca todos os meses. E dizem as cronicas que algumas pessoas afirmavam ter visto cascaveis dancando no peito do vereador; afirmacao perfeitamente falsa, mas sO devida a absoluta confianca no sistema. Verdade, verdade, nem todas as instituicaes do antigo regimen mereciam o desprezo do nosso seculo. — Ha melhor do que anunciar a minha ideia, é pratica-la, respondeu o alienista a insinuacao do boticario. E o boticario, nao divergindo sensivelmente deste modo de ver disse-lhe que sim, que era melhor comecar pela execucao. — Sempre havera tempo de a dar a matraca, concluiu ele. Simao Bacamarte refletiu ainda urn instante, e disse: — Supondo o espfrito humano uma vasta concha, o meu fim, Sr. Soares, é ver se posso extrair a perola, que é a razao; por outros termos, demarquemos definitivamente os limites da razao e da loucura. A razao é o perfeito equilibrio de todas as faculdades; fora dai insania, insania e s6 insania. 0 Vigario Lopes, a quern ele confiou a nova teoria, declarou lisamente que nao chegava a entende-la, que era uma obra absurda; e, se nao era absurda, era de tal modo colossal que nao merecia principio de execucao. —Corn a definicao atual, que é a de todos os tempos, acrescentou, a loucura e a razao estao perfeitamente delimitadas. Sabe-se onde uma acaba e onde a outra comeca. Para que transpor a cerca? Sobre o labio fino e discreto do alienista rocou a vaga sombra de uma intencao de riso, em que o desdem vinha casado a comiseracao; mas nenhuma palavra saiu de suas egregias entranhas. A ciencia contentou-se em estender a mao a. teologia, — corn tal seguranca, que a teologia nao soube enfim se devia crer ern si ou na outra. Itaguai e o universo a. beira de uma revolucao. V
0 terror Quatro dias depois, a populacao de Itagual ouviu consternada a noticia de que urn certo Costa fora recolhido a Casa Verde. — Impossivel! — Qual impossivel! foi recolhido hoje de manha. — Mas, na verdade, ele nao merecia... Ainda em cima! depois de tanto que ele fez... Costa era um dos cidadaos mais estimados de Itaguai. Herdara quatrocentos mil cruzados em boa moeda de el-rei Dorn Joao V, dinheiro cuja renda bastava, segundo lhe declarou o tio no testamento, para viver "ate o fim do mundo". Tao depressa recolheu a heranca, como entrou a dividi-la em emprestimos, sem usura, mil cruzados a um, dois mil a outro, trezentos a este, oitocentos aquele, a tal ponto que, no fim de cinco anos, estava sem nada. Sea miseria
viesse de chofre, o pasmo de Itaguai seria enorme; mas veio devagar; ele foi passando da opulencia a. abastanca, da abastanca a mediania, da mediania a pobreza, da pobreza a miseria, gradualmente. Ao cabo daqueles cinco anos, pessoas que levavam o chapeu ao chao, logo que ele assomava no fim da rua, agora batiam-lhe no ombro, corn intimidade, davam-the piparotes no nariz, diziam-lhe pulhas. E o Costa sempre lhano, risonho. Nem se lhe dava de ver que os menos corteses eram justamente os que tinha ainda a divida em aberto; ao contrario, parece que os agasalhava corn major prazer; e mais sublime resignacao. Um dia, como urn desses incuraveis devedores Ihe atirasse urn chalaca grossa, e ele se risse dela, observou urn desafeicoado, corn certa perfidia: — "Voce suporta esse sujeito para ver se ele Ihe paga". Costa nao se deteve urn minuto, foi ao devedor e perdoou-lhe a divida. —"Nao admira, retorquiu o outro; o Costa abriu mao de uma estrela, que esta no ceu". Costa era perspicaz, entendeu que ele negava todo o merecimento ao ato, atribuindo-lhe a intencao de rejeitar o que nao vinham meter-the na algibeira. Era tambem pundonoroso e inventivo; duas horas depois achou urn meio de provar que the nao cabia urn tal labeu; pegou de algumas dobras, e mandou-as de emprestimo ao devedor. — Agora espero que... — pensou ele sem concluir a frase. Esse altimo rasgo do Costa persuadiu a credulos e incredulos; ninguem mais pôs em davida os sentimentos cavalheirescos daquele digno cidadao. As necessidades mais acanhadas salt- am a rua, vieram bater-the a porta, corn os seus chinelos velhos, corn as suas capas remendadas. Urn verme, entretanto, rola a alma do Costa; era o conceito do desafeto. Mas isso mesmo 4cabou; tres meses depois veio este pedirlhe um Oento e vinte cruzados corn promessa de restituir-lhos dai a dois dias; era o resIduo da grande heranca, mas era tambem uma nobre desforra: Costa emprestou o dinheiro logo, logo, e sem juros. Infelizmente nao teve tempo de ser pago; cinco meses depois era recolhido a Casa Verde. Imagina-se a consternacao de Itaguai, quando soube do caso. Nao se falou em outra coisa, dizia-se que o Costa ensandecera, ao almoco, outros que de madrugada; e contavam-se os acessos, que cram furiosos, sombrios, terriveis, — ou mtimsos, e ate engracados, conforme as verseies. "Muita gente correu a Casa Verde, e achou o pobre Costa, tranqtiilo, urn pouco espantado, falando corn muita clareza, e perguntando por que motivo o tinham levado para ali. Alguns foram ter corn o alienista. Bacamarte aprovava esses sentimentos de estima e compaixao, mas acrescentava que a ciencia era a ciencia, e que ele nao podia deixar na rua urn mentecapto. A altima pessoa que intercedeu por ele (porque depois do que you contar ninguem mais se atreveu a procurar o terrivel medico) foi uma pobre senhora, prima do Costa. 0 alienista disse-the confidencialmente que este digno
32 NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
homem nao estava no perfeito equilibrio das faculdades mentais, a vista do modo como dissipara os cabedais que... — Isso, nao! isso, nao! interrompeu a boa senhora corn energia. Se ele gastou tao depressa o que recebeu, a culpa nao e dele. — Nao? — Nao, senhor. Eu the digo como o negeocio se passou. 0 defunto meu tio nao era mau homem; mas quando estava furioso era capaz de nem tirar o chapeu ao Santissimo. Ora, urn dia, pouco tempo antes de morrer, descobriu que urn escravo the roubara urn boi; imagine como ficou. A cara era um pimentao; todo ele tremia, a boca escumava; lembra-me como se fosse hoje. Entao urn homem feio, cabeludo, em mangas de camisas, chegou-se a ele e pediu agua. Meu tio (Deus the fate n' alma!) respondeu que fosse beber ao rio ou ao inferno. 0 homem olhou para ele, abriu a mao em ar de ameaca, e rogou-lhe esta praga: — "Todo o seu dinheiro nao ha de durar mais de sete anos e um dia, tab certo como isto ser o sino salamao! E mostrou o sino salamao impresso no braco. Foi isto, meu senhor; foi esta praga daquele maldito. Bacamarte espetara na pobre senhora urn par de olhos agudos como punhais. Quando eta acabou, estendeu-lhe a mao polidamente, como se o fizesse a propria esposa do vice-rei e cony idou-a a ir falar ao primo. A misera acreditou; ele levou-a a Casa Verde e encerroua na galeria dos alucinados. A noticia desta aleivosia do ilustre Bacamarte lancou o terror a alma da populacao. Ninguern queria acabar de crer, que, sem motivo, sem inimizade; o alienista trancasse na Casa Verde uma senhora perfeitamente ajuizada, que nao tinha outro crime sena° o de interceder por um infeliz. Comentava-se o caso nas esquinas, nos barbeiros; edificou-se um romance, umas finezas namoradas que o alienista outrora dirigira a prima do Costa, a indignacao do Costa e o desprezo da prima. E dai a vinganea. Era claro. Mas a austeridade do alienista, a vida de estudos que ele levava, pareciam desmentir uma tat hipOtese. Historias! Tudo isso era naturalmente a capa do velhaco. E urn dos mais credulos chegou a murmurar que sabia de outras coisas, nao as dizia, por tido ter certeza plena, mas sabia, quase que podia jurar. — Voce, que é intimo dele, nao nos podia dizer o que ha, o que houve, que motivo... Crispim Soares derretia-se todo. Esse interrogar da gente inquieta e curiosa, dos amigos atonitos, era para ele uma consagracao pOblica. Nao havia duvidar; toda a povoacao sabia enfim que o privado do alienista era ele, Crispim, o boticario, o colaborador do grande homem e das grandes coisas; dal a corrida a botica. Tudo isso dizia o carao jucundo e o riso discreto do boticario, o riso e o silencio, porque ele nao respondia nada; urn dois, tres monossilabos, quando muito, soltos, secos, encapados no fiel sorriso, constante e miUdo, cheio de misterios cientificos, que ele nao podia, sem desdouro nem perigo, desvendar a nenhuma pessoa NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
humana — Ha coisa, pensavam os mais desconfiados. Um desses limitou-se a pensa-lo, deu de ombros e foi embora. Tinha negOcios pessoais. Acabava de construir uma casa suntuosa. SO a casa bastava para deter e chamar toda gente; mas havia mais, — a mobilia, que ele mandara vir da Hungria e da Holanda, segundo contava, e que se podia ver do lado de fora, porque as janelas viviam abertas, — e o jardim, clue era uma obra-prima de arte e de gosto. Esse homem, que enriquecera no fabrico de albardas, tinha tido sempre o sonho de uma casa magnifica, jardim pomposo, mobilia rara. Nao deixou o negOcio das albardas, mas repousava dele na contemplacao da casa nova, a primeira de Itaguai, mais grandiosa do que a Casa Verde, mais nobre do que a da camara. Entre a gente ilustre da povoacao havia choro e ranger de dentes, quando se pensava ou se falava ou se louvava a casa do albardeiro, — urn simples albardeiro, Deus do Ceu! — La esta ele embasbacado, diziam os transeuntes, de manha. De manha, corn efeito, era costume do Mateus estatelar-se, no meio do jardim, corn os olhos na casa, namorado, durante um longa hora, ate que vinham chama-lo para almocar. Os vizinhos, embora o cumprimentassem corn certo respeito, riam-se por tras dele, que era um gosto. Urn desses chegou a dizer que o Mateus seria muito mais economic°, e estaria riquissimo, se fabricasse as albardas para si mesmo; epigrama ininteligivel, mas que fazia rir a bandeiras despregadas. — Agora la esta o Mateus a ser comtemplado, diziam a tarde. A razao deste outro dito era que, de tarde, quando as familias saiam a passeio (jantavam cedo) usava o Mateus postar-se a janela, bem no centro, vistoso sobre urn fundo escuro; trajado de branco, atitude senhoril, e assim ficava duas e tres horas ate que anoitecia de todo. Pode crer-se que a intencao do Mateus era ser admirado e invejado, posto que ele nao a confessasse a nenhuma pessoa, nem ao boticario, nem ao padre Lopes, seus grandes amigos. E entretanto nao foi outra a alegacao do boticario, quando o alien ista the disse que o albardeiro talvei padecesse do amor das pedras, mania que ele Bacamarte descobr ra e estudava desse algum tempo. Aquilo de contemplar a casa... — Nao, senhor, acudiu vivavemente Crispim Soares. — Nao? — Ha de perdoar- e; mas talvez nao saiba que ele de manha examina a obra, nao a dmira; de tarde, sac, os outros que admiram a ele e a obra. — E cont u o uso do albardeiro, todas as tardes, desde cedo ate o cair da noit . Uma volUpia cientifica alumiou os olhos de Simao Bacamarte. Ou ele nao conhecia todos os costumes do albardeiro, ou nada mais quis, interrogando o Crispim, do que confirmar alguma noticia incerta ou suspeita vaga. A explicacao satisfe-lo; mas como tinha as alegrias prOprias de um sabio, concentradas, nada viu o boticario que fizesse suspeitar uma intencao sinistra. Ao contrario, era de tarde, e o alienista pediu-lhe o braco para irem a passeio. Deus! era a prime ira vez que Simao Bacamarte dava ao seu privado tamanha honra; Crispim ficou tremulo, atarantado, disse que sim, que estava pronto. Chegaram duas ou tres pessoas de fora, Crispim mandou-as mentalmente a todos os diabos; nao sof) atrasavam o passeio, como podia acontecer que Bacamarte elegesse alguma delas, para acompanha-lo, e o dispensasse a ele. Que impaciencia! que aflicao! Enfim, sairam. 0 alienista guiou para os lados da casa do albardeiro, viu-o a janela, passop cinco, seis vezes por diante, parando, examinando as atitudes, a expressao do rosto. 0 pobre Mateus, apenas notou que era objeto da curiosidade ou admiracao do primeiro vulto de Itagtiai, redobrou a expressao, deu outro relevo as atitudes... Triste! triste, nao fez mais do que condenar-se; no dia seguinte, foi recolhido a Casa Verde. (first of three parts. 0 Alienista was originally published in Papeis Avulsos, a collection of short stories by Machado de Assis.) 33
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NEWS
from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Talk about Sao Paulo and the first image that springs to mind is the smoggy, traffic-jammed, bustling metropolis interested only in making money and not wasting time. But Sao Paulo is much more complex and surprising than its Capital. It also offers forest reserves, mountain resorts and the most precious beaches you'll ever see. The Paulista Coast UBATUBA The Ubatuba littoral is a stunning stretch of beach along the northern Sao Paulo coast. It's the pre-eminent beach resort for the well to-do of Sao Paulo and there are many elegant beach homes and hotels, especially to the south of the town of Ubatuba. To the north of town, all the way to Parati, the beaches are wilder, cleaner and often deserted. There are few hotels, but plenty of campsites. Most travelers don't go to Ubatuba, unless they are spending some time in Sao Paulo and want to escape for the weekend, or are driving the Rio-Santos coastal road. It's not that the beaches aren't top-notch — they are, but they get crowded in the summer, are rather expensive and there is little that remains of the old fishing culture that animates so many coastal towns in Brazil. Beaches Beaches, beaches and more beaches. Within the district of Ubatuba there are some 74 beaches and 15 islands. If you're staying in the city and don't have wheels, there's a fine beach a couple of km south of town with barracas and some surfing. Other recommended beaches south of Ubatuba include Ton inhas and Enseada (eight km away), Flamengo (12 km), Lazaro and Doming,as Dias (14 km). To the north of town the beaches are hidden away down the steep hillside. They are harder to find, but well NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
35
worth the effort. The best beaches are Vermelha (nine km away), Itamambuca (11 km), Promirim (22 km), and Ubatumirim (32 km). Port — The port is at Praia de Saco de Ribeiro, 12 km south of Ubatuba. Mykonos Turismo has offices at the port and offers daily cruises into the Baia da Enseada and out to the Ilha Anchieta. Festival — On 29 June, Ubatuba celebrates the Festa de Sao Pedro Pescador with a big maritime procession. CARAGUATATUBA The coastal town of Caraguatatuba is 55 km from Ubatuba and 25 km from Sao Sebastiao. This is not a very attractive town, and the beaches around the city are below the regional standard and not worth visiting. SAO SEBASTIAO The coastal town of Sao Sebastiao faces the Ilha de Sao Sebastiao, popularly known as Ilhabela, which is only a 15-minute ferry trip across the channel. Huge oil tankers anchor in the calm canal formed by the island and mainland, waiting to unload at sao Sebastiao. The town itself is unassuming. There's not much here, but at least it has avoided the tourist industry blight, thanks to the poor beaches. Most visitors stay in sao Sebastiao either because they can't find lodging at Ilhabela or to enjoy the canal's excellent windsurfing conditions. ILHABELA With an area of 340 sq km, Ilhabela is the biggest island along the Brazilian coast. The island's volcanic origin is evident in its steeply rising peaks, which are covered by dense, tropical jungle. There are 360 waterfalls and the flatlands are filled with sugar cane plantations. The island is known for its excellent jungle hiking and fine cachaca. Although it's a beautiful place, visiting Ilhabela can be a bit of a drag. During the summer the island is besieged by multitudes of Paulistas, and the normal population of 13,000 swells to over 100,000. Besides the threat this poses to the environment, the crowds create all sorts of logistical difficulties: many hotels fill up, waits of two to three hours for the car ferry are common and prices soar. To add to all that, the bugs are murder, especially the little bloodsuckers known as borrachudos. Use plenty of repellent at all times. The time to go to Ilhabela is weekdays in the off season. Once you arrive, the name of the game is to get away from the west coast, which faces the mainland, and where almost all human activity is concentrated. To get to the other side of the island requires either a 36
car, catching a boat, or a strong pair of hiking legs. Information—The Secretaria de Turismo de Ilhabela is in Vila Ilhabela, the main settlement, at Rua Dr. Carvalho 234. Staff sell maps and have a complete list of hotels, pousadas, chales and camping grounds. The post office and ticket office for buses to sao Paulo are in the same street. There's a tourist information post at the roundabout 200 meters from the ferry dock in Barra Velha. It's open every day from 9 am to noon and 2 to 6 pm. Staff have information about hotels (including prices) and sightseeing trips, and a serviceable map of the island. Colonial Buildings Vila Ilhabela has quite a few wellpreserved colonial buildings, including the slave-built Igreja Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, dating from 1532, the Fazenda Engenho d'Agua in Itaquanduba, constructed in 1582 and the Fazenda Santa Carmen at Feiticeira beach. Beaches There are more than 50 beaches on the island, but most of them are hard to get to and can only be reached by boat or by walking. Of the sheltered beaches on the island's north side, Praia Pedra do Sino and Praia Jabaquara are recommended. On the east side, where the surf is stronger, try Praia dos Caste lhanos (good campihg and surf), Praia do Gato or Praia da Figueira. Waterfalls Cachoeira das Tocas, two km inland from Pereque beach, is made up of various small waterfalls with accompanying deep pools and water slides. It costs $1 to get in which includes all the insect repellent you want. It's a great place to go if you're sick of the beach. Cachoeira de Agua Branca, in the middle of the jungle, is another waterfall to check out. Access is from Veloso beach. Sao Sebastiao If you're feeling energetic, the 1379-meter high peak of Sao Sebastiao, in the suburb of Barra Velha, provides a great view. Activities Paulistas on vacation like their toys, so consequently you can rent almost anything: power boats, yachts, kayaks, jet skis, windsurfers, motorbikes, dune buggies, bicycles, tennis courts, diving gear and helicopters are just some of the alternatives. Places to Stay There's a lack of cheap lodging on Ilhabela, which is why many people choose to stay in Sao Sebastiao where the hotels are cheaper. Places to Eat There are new restaurants opening up all the time on Ilhabela. In Vila Ilhabela itself there are a few good, cheap lanchonetes, two in the pedestrian mall and a couple on Rua Dr. Carvalho. Right on the pier is Pier Piwa where NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
you can have a tasty chope and watch the fishers pull in a few swordfish. Other places a bit further from Vila are Deck at Avenida Almirante Tamandare 805, a popular seafood restaurant, and Stefan 's at Pereque, which specializes in German dishes. Recanto do Samba, on the waterfront, is a great place to have a beer, stare at the mainland and listen to some samba. Getting There & Away The ferry takes 15 minutes and runs frequently. The service starts at 5.30 am and goes until midnight, although during the summer it often goes much later. Pedestrians travel free. BOIQUCANGA A popular weekend spot for Paulistas, Boicucanga is well serviced by simple hotels and decent restaurants. While the beach here is not as good as the nearby ones at Maresias and Camburi, there are some good walks into the Mata Atlantica, the Atlantic rainforest. Information A good source of information here is Jose Mauro B. Pinto e Silva who runs a tourist information service/ccimbio/video rental place called Amart at Avenida Walkir Vergani 319. An experienced budget traveler who speaks good English, Jose is a friendly guy who can help you out with just about anything, including cheap places to stay. He's a good person to see about treks into the forest. There are some great beaches along this stretch of coastline and if you have a car you'll be able to explore them easily. If you're relying on buses it's a bit harder, but still possible. Maresias and Camburi are both good surf beaches. Barra do Sahy is a beach with calmer water and some nearby offshore islands which you can visit. Kayaks can be rented on the beach. GUARUJA The closest beach to the city of Sao Paulo, 87 km away, Guaruja is the biggest and most important beach resort in the state. If you enjoy beach cities, it has plenty of hotels, restaurants, boutiques, etc. There are stacks of restaurants and bars along the waterfront. The rodoviaria is just outside town at Santos Dumont 840. From there catch a local bus into the city. Buses to Sdo Paulo leave every 30 minutes. The trip takes just over an hour. On the way you'll pass through Cubatdo, one of the most polluted places in the world. SANTOS Santos is the largest and busiest port in Latin America. Founded in 1535 by Bras Cubas, the city has seen better days. As a destination for travelers, Santos holds little interest. Only the facades remain of many of the grand 19th-century houses built by wealthy coffee merchants, and the water at the beaches is definitely suspect. Information There are tourist information booths at Praca das Bandeiras, Praia do Gonzaga and at the rodoviaria. NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
The bus station is right in the center at Praca dos Andradas 45. There are frequent buses to Paulo, 72 17 away.
sao
IGUAPE One of the oldest towns in Brazil, Iguape was founded irt ia1538. Inform tion — Tourist information is available from the p efeitura at Rua 15 de Novembro 272. Things to See— The attractions of the town are the Museu de rte Sacra in the limestone Igreja do Rosario, and the M rante do Morro do Espia a lookout with a good view of the port and surrounding area. The most popular beaches in the area are Varela, Prelado, Rio Verde, Una and Jurdia. Five minutes by ferry from Iguape is Ilha Comprida, with a 74-km stretch of beach. CANANEIA Considered the oldest city in Brazil, Canal-16a was the first port of call of Martim Afonso de Sousa's squadron, and was founded in 1531. Beaches — The town doesn't have its own beach, but Ilha Comprida is only 10 minutes away by boat. To the south, popular beaches are Prainha, Ipanema with its waterfall, and Ilha do Cardoso, an ecological reserve with some nice, deserted places; it's a two-hour boat ride away. Other Attractions — In the town itself, there's not a lot to do. The colonial buildings are in really poor shape. There's a marine museum at Rua Professor Besnard 133 if you're hard up, or you could walk up Morro de Sao Joao for a good view of the surrounding islands. CAMPOS DO JORDAO Three hours by bus from Sdo Paulo, Campos do Jordao is a popular weekend mountain getaway for Paulistas, who like to feel cold and e t pinhcio (large pine nuts). At 1700 meters in the Ser a da Mantiqueira, Campos is a good place from whi h to check out some of the last remaining virgin ara caria (Parana pine) forests, and to hike to the top o some high peaks, with their spectacular views oft e Paraiba valley and the coastal mountain range the erra do Mar. The train line which connects Campos with Santo Antonio do Pinhal is the highest in Brazil. Orient tion Camps is made up of three main suburbs: Abernessi , the oldest; Jaguaribe, where the rodoviaria is located, and Capivari, the tourist center with a large concentra ion of restaurants, chocolate shops and threestar hotel. Capivari is the best base for visitors. The 37
three suburbs are connected by a tram line. Information Tourist Office — If you're driving, there's a tourist information office at the gateway to the valley, just before Abernessia. There's another office in Capivari, close to the tram stop in the old railway station. They have handouts with average maps and a list of all the hotels. Nobody in the office speaks English, but they are reasonably helpful. Things to See & Do The state park, better known as Horto Florestal, 14 km from Capivari, contains the largest araucaria reserve in the state, and there are some -fine walks. The reception desk near the trout farm hands out maps. The Gruta dos Crioulos (Creoles' Cave) was used as a hiding place by slaves escaping from the surrounding fazendas. The cave is seven km from Jaguaribe on the road to Pedra do Bad, which is a huge, rectangular granite block, 1950 meters high. To get to the top you have to walk 2 km and climb up 600 steps carved in the rock. It's 25 km from Campos. Another spot that deserves a visit is the Pico do Itapeva (Itapeva Peak), 15 km away. With an altitude of 2030 meters, it's possible to see almost all of the Paraiba valley, with its industrial cities and the Rio Paraiba. Close to Capivari is a chairlift to the top of the 1800metre-high Morro do Elefante, which has a good view of the town. The Palacio Boa Vista is the state governor's summer residence, and contains many antiques. It's open Wednesdays, weekends and holidays from 10 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm. It's 3 1/2 km from Abernessia.
The train ride from Campos to Santo Ant6nio do Pinhal is a three-hour round trip, including the 40 minutes spent in Santo Antonio. The train makes the journey twice a day from Campos, at 10.20 am and 3.25 pm. For the best views, sit on the right-hand side when leaving Campos. July is peak tourist period in Campos and hotel prices double or even triple. Don't forget to eat the tasty pine nuts. Try some fried in butter or mixed with rice. 6;l7e4t1Mr.44F3 Getting Around The tram that connects the suburbs of Campos is itself a tourist attraction. It runs every half-hour between 6.30 am and 8 pm and gets very crowded. Local buses also run out to the state park. Take the 'Hort° Florestal to its final stop. ravst, ,,mIctg Bicycles, including mountain bikes, can be rented in Capivari Excerpts from Bra;i1 from Verde Vital A Travel Survival Kit in Cadij shopping 2nd edition, center if you feel by Andrew Draffen, like a bit of a Deanna Swaney pedal. If you want and Robert Strauss. For to horse around, more information call rent one near the Lonely Planet: (800) 275chairlift or 10 km 8555. Copyright 1992 out on the road to Lonely Planet Publications. the park, where Used by permission. the trails are better.
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Country gold Composer-singer Zez6 Di Camargo has become the newest millionaire in Brazilian music and in a very short time. Together with Luciano he performs a new breed of country music using keyboards and technology. He has adopted a pop-romantic style and has been able to reach a younger and more urban audience. But life has been hard while he juggles writing, touring, and recording. BRUCE GILMAN
People interested in knowing which Brazilian composers receive the greatest royalties for their compositions customarily refer to Roberto Carlos, Tom (Antonio Carlos) Jobim, and Caetano Veloso as the "Trds Grandes" — Three Great Ones. At the Escritorio Central de Arrecadacao de Direitos (ECAD), the entity in charge of distributing payment to artists, these composer/musicians continually rotate the number one position, but they never move out of the top ten. Their compositions are the ones most often heard on Brazilian radio and TV, in bars, and in the live performances of myriad artists. Six years ago, a fourth name was added: Zeze Di Camargo. Mirosmar Jose de Camargo is a young man from Goias. Brazilians who know Zezd Di Camargo know him from his work . as a singer in the duo Zeze Di Camargo & Luciano. Few know that prior to forming that duo, Zeze had written several hits for sertaneja super stars Leandro and Leonardo, his friends since childhood, or that his name is the fourth great of ECAD. Moreover, who would guess that he surpasses his rivals Roberto, Jobim, and Caetano every time he releases a new disc? This happened in 1993 with the third release by Zeze Di Camargo & Luciano. At that time the composer jumped from ECAD's sixth to the first position due to the success of the tune "Saudade Bandida" (Desperate Longing). Reaching the first position on ECAD's list once or twice in an artist's life is quite an accomplishment. However, even transitory artists like lambacia star Beto Barbosa have been in first place a fair number of times. Remaining among the top ten for several years is arduous. For that, it is necessary to have scores of hits at numerous times performed by NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
39
various artists. gives them 12% of the retail price for each unit The success of Zeze Di Camargo is impressold.), but from their performances all over the sive in view of its rapidity. Zeze is the youngest country. They receive close to $40,000 per show of ECAD's Great Ones but gained success (about $33,000 net). After 150 shows the brothquickly for two reasons. First, he started at a ers earn approximately $5 million. time when there was an enormous interest in At recent shows in Bauru (Sao Paulo) and sertaneja (country music), supplying music for Muriad (Minas Gerais), Zeze & Luciano persuccessful singers like Leandro & formed outdoors in a rain that failed Leonardo; and next, he invested in to deter an unbelievable crowd. In pagode, a type of samba made popusao Paulo 25,000 people attended, The trajectory lar in Rio's Zona Norte. Zeze's in Minas more than 10,000. All of pagode music has been recorded by their performances are attended by for Zeze Di Raga Negra, one of the top groups of battalions of hysterical female fans; Camargo & the genre. everyone sings, raises their arms, Zeze has dividends coming from screams desperately for one wave or Luciano was more than 130 compositions recorded a look from one of the brothers. In launched five not only by the duo with brother little more than a one hour show, Luciano, but also from a slew of female fans have thrown wrist years ago other artists. Among the hits written watches, stuffed animals, panties — by Zeze and recorded by other when they among other alluring articles, phosertaneja duos are "Foge de Mim" tos, and letters that run the gamut came to the (Escape From Me) by Chitaozinho & from the naïve to the erotic on stage Xororo and "Gostoso Sentimento" . One card written by a beautiful girl fore (Good Feeling) by Leandro & and left with the receptionist at their performing a Leonardo. Last year alone he profhotel in Bauru read, "Luciano, I want ited over $350,000 net in royalties your wild love. I am sure that only type of according to the calculations of you can give me pleasure." They sertaneja Manoel Pinto, general director of receive many such letters; however, Peermusic, the firm that collects the both brothers are happily married. "upgraded" by royalties for Zeze. And although they are very cordial To achieve his extensive reperkeyboards and with the fans, they do not become toire of both romantic and sentimeninvolved with them. Luciano, in fact, technology, tal songs, Zeze has adopted an intihas been married only a short time, mate ritual. He composes only durand contrary to his brother, is advery different ing the early hours of morning, sitverse to the social obligations of refrom the music ting always at the center of his spacording stars. He goes to few parties cious living room in his secluded' and is content living in Mooca, a of Tonico & Sao Paulo condominium, accompaneighborhood of Sao Paulo, with his Tinoco or Pena nied by his tape recorder, a six-string wife Mariana (sister of Leandro & guitar, and a note pad. His source of Leonardo). Branca & inspiration continues to be man's ilAt a festa junina in the city of lusion of love, its unfolding treachXavantinho. Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Zeze & ery, frustration, and madness. Zeze Luciano were scheduled to perform Zeze realized knows that the public will listen to in a soccer field. Rain had converted words they can relate to, and he makes the field into a muddy bog. Not only that the music for people to enjoy. did the sky conspire against the "upgrade" was In addition to Zeze's income as a sertanejo duo, but there was only composer, his sertanejo duo with one electrical generator available. going to be a brother Luciano, Zeze Di Camargo This generator was unable to power target for & Luciano, sells more than one miland sustain the 160 thousand watt lion copies every time they release a stage lighting, the spot lights, and criticism, but disc. According to Luiz Andre the sound system that was brought Calainho, director of marketing for is cognizant by the band. At best it was able to Sony Music, the duo's label, the first provide only very dim lighting. Dethat he is in four albums sold 5.2 million copies. spite the problems, minutes after The recent disc containing the hit midnight the two stepped onto a semireality "Pao de Mel" sold 1.2 million copies dark stage, started their show, and performing in one month. But the enormous sum were drowned in an applause unof money accumulated by the duo is common for people drenched by the MPB (Brazilian only partially explained by the astrorain. Transforming a situation that in Popular nomical quantity of recordings they the hands of lesser artists would have sell. They perform almost two hunbeen a tragedy, the duo sang their Music). dred shows a year. hits for two hours and were applauded In fact, the strongest source of unsparingly. the duo's income is not the collection of royalEpisodes like Diamantina bring to mind the ties from Zeze's compositions, not the sales frustration and disappointment that rocker Rita from recordings (The duo's agreement with Sony Lee caused her fans when she refused to perform 40
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
during a big storm last year and also reveal the tances. travel is by commercial plane. duo's determination to follow through — unWith all their money, the two don't have an equivocally — with their objective of becoming easy life. T e road has taken its toll. Besides the the best. With almost 200 performances anticiobligatory ight pants country performers are pated this year and 15,000 miles traveled a expected to ear, their extremely Spartan agenda month, the brothers are committed to promoting has cost Z ze an inflamed vocal chord. And their latest self-titled disc which arrived in the stress from eing on the road constantly affects stores with pre-sales of one million is ability to reach the higher notes. copies. Roberto Augusto, president he uninterrupted schedule causes Zeze of Sony, the duo's recording comuciano to gain weight and suffer pany said, "We have bet that Zeze's om insomnia. Di Camargo power to create success will break The sacrifices, however, are not composes only Xuxa's 3.2 million mark." nly theirs. People who are directly Zeze has been very excited about ssociated with the shows have said during the the sold-out shows and actually pret at they find it hard to appreciate fers live shows to being confined in the bosses singing when they hear early hours of the studio. Plus the brothers realize the same songs night after night. morning, that continuing in this manner alheir security guards amuse themlows them to compete in the market elves by trading the duo's tapes for sitting always place side by side with the two best t pes of rock and soul musicians. at the center of selling sertaneja groups — Chitaoeze and Luciano are reluctant to zinho & Xororo and Leandro & admit it, but even they have found it his spacious Leonardo. challenging to continue rehearsing living room in The trajectory for Zeze Di and performing the same repertoire Camargo & Luciano was launched enthusiastically. his secluded five years ago when they came to the On the road, Zeze watches the fore performing a type of sertaneja ews compulsively and reads more Sao Paulo "upgraded" by keyboards and techan one newspaper and magazine condominium, nology, very different from the mun a plane. He continually comments n the economy, on politics, and on sic of Tonico & Tinoco or Pena accompanied Branca & Xavantinho (see News ocial problems and cannot imagine by his tape imself singing heart throbbing counFrom Brazil —December '95). Zeze realized that the "upgrade" was goy music ten years from now. His recorder, a sixolitical and societal concerns are ing to be a target for criticism, but is string guitar, *ntensifying, and Zeze has started cognizant that he is in reality perringing these concerns into his lyrforming MPB (Brazilian Popular and a note pad. 1c is. Zeze regards this almost as a Music). duty, a debt to Brazil. Misery and The objective of abandoning a His source of style saturated with characteristics poverty, for example, are the themes inspiration of "Bandido com Razao" (Justified typical of sertaneja and adopting more of a pop-romantic style was to 3andit), a dramatic moment in their continues to be hows when images of abandoned reach a younger and more urban auman's illusion dience. They wanted those who lis1hildren and children sniffing glue in the streets of Sao Paulo are shown ten to Skank (the reggae band from of love, its on a big screen. Any time Zeze sees Minas Gerais) to also be listening to unfolding a child in the streets, he gives them Zeze Di Camargo & Luciano. In the whatever money he has in his pockbattle to conquer and hold new auditreachery, ts. ences the brothers concur that they One of Zeze's last political mishave to maintain their disciplined frustration, and ions was performing at election raland sacrificing routine, one that is madness. Zeze only surpassed by Elba Ramalho and iies for the governor of Minas Gerais, 36 presentations in two months side her always sold out agenda of shows. knows that the 1)y side with the candidate Eduardo Behind the scenes of their perpublic will zeredo. Zeze Di Camargo & petual tours are more than 30 people: uciano were also used as a weapon eight band members, three back-up listen to words y the ex-mayor of Belo Horizonte vocalists, a conductor, the technical they can relate n an effort to become well known in crew, a secretary, an agent, the conhe interior. The candidate started tractor, and a security staff. For tours to, and he ith a 35% point disadvantage in the within 500 miles, the troupe travels urveys but finished the race by winmakes music in a Marcopolo Geracao 5 bus coming with more than a 10% advanplete with sleeping facilities. The bus for people to age. The overturn was attributed in is the most comfortable in the counreat part to the shows performed at try and the type coveted by stars like enjoy. he political rallies by the duo. Xuxa, and Chitaozinho & Xoror6 Zeze & Luciano attracted almost 70 among others. In 1995 the band bus thousand people to the event. Helio Costa, the traveled a distance equal to driving four and a candidate who felt the election slipping away half times around the world. For greater disNEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
41
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singer may r eive 54 to 15% over the album , 4 price. The composer has the right to 8.4% over the album price divided by the other composers q who contributed compositions to the recording. p Troe,ftearinna more, a majority of composers have d t fingtheinown compositions; Jobim ,. i= ° was a case point. .For night. clubs, the price paid to ECAD varies- according to how many people attendthe particular club on a nightly - • 1!,:1? -41 basis. Large Clubs pay large sums; a small bar many times is not even called upon to enter their share. I Even though are so few ECAD agents, wherever they go they inevitably hear the music z ofezo Ron beirtcoaCb niarrIgos,bJein obg imp,IC ayanedta.nIon V Deelcoesm o,boer
The system used by ECAD to calculate and "› confirm what music is played in Brazil is called public diffusion. It attempts to gauge not only •what is listened to on the radio and TV, but also in bars, small clubs, hotels, night clubs, and , restaurants. In order to make these tabulations f'-'• there are several offices with autonomous agents • A ' spread throughout Brazil's capitals. The agents 1992, for insfance ° ii was discovered that the get a commission for the information they col- ' music . wpas layedaivarenmost often in bars and restaulect. According to the ECAD office in Rm de I rants a , a classic bolero that came • 1 _ ag ents workback to the cirts with 159 plays a month due to .Janeiro, there are more than10i1 $• , ing for the system of royalties_ between the , ,, tii recording made, by Mexican artist Luis . northernmost and southernmost-points of Bra-, '•" ., ,Miguel, Next-came "Coracao Esta em Pedacos; zil This is not a lot of agents glieajt inarPgine.ceis)eby Zez when you consider the The number of establishments through tenth positions ' " , , „ that have to be checked. were taken by scientist, In Sao Paulo alone, sambista Paulo Vanzolini's there are 45 top-of-the-line "Ronda", "As Rosas Nao ' bars and restaurants that are Falam" (Roses Don't Talk) a. ' known for presenting live by the great Cartola, and music. The numbers colJobim's "Garota de Ipanelected by ECAD must be ma" (The Girl from Ipane" . absurdly below the reality. ma) all standards of Brazil" To account for establishian popular music. a„ '• ments that provide ambiTom Jobim started his ; ent background music for career in the 1950s and still f • people who are waiting or maintains a posthumous • sitting in a bar would be position in the race because , „. impossible. Thus, the inof his monumental producformation that "La Berea" tiori of great music which k was played 159 times a iscludes songs that will Gaetano Veloso month cannotbe taken as a never be replaced in any , rigid verification, not even musician's repertoire. It is , as a close approximation. The figure shows only 'a ; primarily foh is aczomplishment that Jobirn . „ what ECAD agents accounted fon extracted the portion of his royalties. , , R oberto Carlos, ECAD's service couldbe improved a lot, esst called the king by his fans., , and musicians do complainperiodically about , .0 started his eler at the beginning of the 1960s. their residuals. However, it is la illusion to He releases a cord every year and alwayseselin n s ., imagine that one day it will be possible to docucopies, His songs are play d ' ment all music being played everywhere in Brathee radio more than any other Brazil., at all times. A feat like that would necessitate ian artist ist. Besides, other singers have the habit an ECAD representative being permanently on _story ofrecordingh hits (see News from Brazil cover duty from Sunday to Sunday in every bar and on sanaqy '96) club in the country. Nevertheless, the service idaeesnnoont ta ,„0s iitesC 0t in g hi that ECAD provides is crucial data for the muesRntw aa,tnmns ndths e nueitnc,d mConaeti f 9 aian6ois.s sicians who depend on these services to earn artist h e Oath 0 their money. t in and the phy san aria Bet h One play on FM radio pays the composer s Baiaito singer-composer may Costa.about 15 cents. For TV there is no fixed price for ntdhn Giaset-heg'elrat le el . einstg hdl k ine oMr Roberto, but his ataertJro: music, but there are direct agreements between .f•A; name occupie a cons derab1e space ace on the list the broadcasting stations and E,CAD. Globo, -` a of composers hose songs are played most ofas a near monopoly of audience and which h ten on both th adio and in night clubs. "Sampe SBT, the TV station owned by Silvio Santos, are (affectionate name fbr.--SAo Paulo), for example, together paying $550,000 month-Iv to ECAD 4: continue to an absolute hit in the bars of Sao With records and CDs the criteria varies, A Paulo •
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NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
from him, reacted by hiring both Chitaozinho & Xororo and Leandro and Leonardo. The election turned out to be more of a victory for country singers in tight pants than for the politicians. What politicians want from the two is easy to understand; nevertheless, Zeze is happy that he is in a position to aid only the politicians that he suppn s. When Zeze is able to relax, he travels to his huge ranch, E o Amor, in the Aruana region of Goias where he raises cattle and thoroughbred horses. The ranch was named after the tune "E o Amor" (It's Love) that propelled their first album and which is still the composition written by Zeze that is most often recorded by other artists including Ray On the road, Conniff and the Mexican group La Mafia. It is at Zeze watches o Amor that Zeze jet skis the news on the artificial lake he had constructed and plays compulsively soccer in the well-equipand reads more ped mini-soccer stadium named. Franciscao after than one Zeze's father who hates newspaper and the sport. Without the responsibilimagazine on a ties of a poet, Luciano plane. He dedicates his leisure time to activities less introspeccontinually tive or philanthropic. He comments on collects and races remote control cars and drives his the economy, own recklessly, creating a on politics, and constant source of dispute between the brothers. He on social has always been a rebel. problems and At 23 years old, ten years younger than his brother,' cannot imagine Luciano lives in the himself singing shadow of Zeze. When Luciano joined Zeze in heart throbbing 1991, he became one of country music the rare Brazilian artists who surpassed the one ten years from million mark for sales with now. his first recording. Conse-, quently, he has lived a very easy life since the end of his adolescence, but realizes that Zeze had to struggle for over twenty years and has opened the doors for him. Juggling writing, touring, and recording has made Zeze Di Camargo the newest millionaire in Brazilian music. His residuals after deductions and only as a composer exceed $250,000 annually according to Peermusic of Brazil's Manoel Pinto. That figure corresponds to approximately 1% of all money that is collected for music royalties in Brazil. ECAD does not supply the royalty figures that it collects, but admits that Roberto Carlos, Zeze Di Camargo, and Tom Jobim are more or less on the same level with Caetano Veloso a little lower on the list. Jobim once stated that he wasn't sure whether or not he was receiving $250,000 a year in residuals. He thought that some composers could be earning that much, but that if they were Chico Buarque and Caetano Veloso would not have to continue performing live shows. Apparently, the composer from the backlands of Goias does not share this opinion. Bruce Gilman plays cuica for Mocidade Independente Los Angeles, received his MA from California Institute of the Arts, and teaches English and ESL in Long Beach, California. NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
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Excerpt from The Valkyries, by Paulo Coelho "I've already witnessed a number of miracles," he began. "Many miracles. You and I have even witnessed some together. We watched J. create openings in the clouds, fill the darkness with light, move objects from one place to another. "You've seen me read people's minds, cause the wind to blow, perform rituals involving power. I've seen magic function many times in my life — both for evil and for good. I have no doubts about it." He paused. "But we have also become used to miracles. And we always want to see others. Faith is a difficult conquest, and it requires daily combat in order to be maintained." It was time for the star to appear, and he had to end his explanation. But Chris interrupted. "It's been that way with our marriage, too," she said. "And I'm exhausted." "I don't understand. I'm speaking about the spiritual world." "The only reason I'm able to understand what you're saying is because I know your love,- she said. — We've been together for a long time. But after the first two years of Joy and passion, every day began to be a challenge for me. It's been very difficult to keep the flames of our love alive." She regretted having brought up the subject -- but now she was going to see it through. 44
The dumbing down of Paulo Coelho Magus-writer Paulo Coelho, despite his international bestselling author status, was never considered a talented, serious or provocative author. But in his latest book released in the US Coelho goes a step further: he talks down to the reader. The Valkyries: An Encounter with Angels, by Paulo Coelho, trans. by Alan Clarke (Harper Collins, 245 pp., $20)
BONDO VVYSZPOLSKI With his earlier books, The Alchemist and The Pilgrimage (formerly Diary ofa Magus), Brazilian Paulo Coelho has perhaps become the best known author of his country — which in purely literary terms is unfortunate when one considers such writers as Osman Lins, Moacyr Scliar, Rubem Fonseca, and Jorge Amado. Unlike his compatriots, Coelho's fiction straddles those somewhat dubious categories of self-help, new age, and pop psychology. But while the earlier books were successful, or at least satisfactory, The Valkyries lacks the fabulist magic and storytelling charisma of The Alchemist, and by its simplicity even makes us feel that we're being talked down to. We begin in Rio de Janeiro, where Coelho lives when he isn't globe-trotting to promote his many best-selling novels. In this one, framed as an autobiographical quest, Coelho is instructed by his Master to find and speak with his guardian angel. In the next breath Paulo and his wife Christina are scurrying around the Mojave Desert. Husband and wife bounce ideas off of one another, and this is an area where the book carries some substance. Chris, too, needs to broaden her horizons, so if there's a subtext here, it's focused on her balancing both her spiritual needs and growth and also the difficult-to-foresee peregrinations of her spouse. When they begin to bicker we're not too surprised, and the confessional tone of The Valkyries earns the author some credit for his frankness. It might have been a more interesting picture if Christina had secretly taken notes and writ-
ten her own version of their forty days in the desert. Forty days in the desert? The other side of the coin is that The Valkyries seems too contrived, too derivative. From Borrego Springs to Indio we meet some unusual minor characters (Gene arrives in the nick of time as Paulo and Chris, who've shed their clothes in the hot desert sun, are succumbing to sunstroke and dehydration), but of course the eight Valkyries of the title are the most prominent. Led by the red-haired Valhalla, these leather-clad young women cruise around the desert on motorcycles spewing forth a kind of spiritual talk that no one understands. For Paulo, Valhalla is something of a soulmate, and she helps him dredge up an incident from his past so he can break his 'pact with defeat.' Why should people seek out their personal angels? "Because only the angels know the best path," Paulo tells Chris. "It does no good to seek advice about it from others." Nothing wrong in that, perhaps, but ultimately the message is too simplistic and the picture too rosy: "The world was in the hands of those who had the courage to dream— and to realize their dreams" is tolerable; what isn't is that 'The day will come when the problem of hunger can be solved through the miracle of the multiplication of bread." Ugh, yeah. Paulo, read Hans Magnus Enzensberger's Civil
Wars: From L.A. to Bosnia. One admires Paulo Coelho's wrestling with doubt and wrestling with faith, but The Valkyries is simply treading stale water. s NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Brazilian Notas SCOTT ADAMS
It's a small world, no doubt about it. Our "reach out and touch someone" technology has even reduced cultural distances to almost meaningless terms. Especially in music, where styles and forms borrow from one another until the very differences that originally defined them become nearly transparent. If you've been caught up in the lure of Brazilian music, you're sure to appreciate the new four CD set from Blue Jackel Entertainment, entitled Brasil: A Century of Song. This captivating collection takes us back to Brazil's musical roots to answer the question: Where did all of this great music come from anyway? Brasil: A Century ofSong isn't an anthology, but each of the four CDs targets a different era and style of Brazilian music. For instance, in 1939, while Glenn Miller was recording "In the Mood," the legendary. Brazilian band leader and composer Ary Barroso was similarly redefining the sound of his country's pop music. His "Deixa Esta Mulher Sofrer" (Let This Woman Suffer) from that year is included on the Folk & Traditional CD. It's a tap on the shoulder to remind us of our cultural differences and how the next few decades would pull our cultures closer together. It's like looking at photos of your wife or husband as an infant: where we were then and where we are now. Brasil: A Century of Song helps us to understand this contrast better. 1939 was also the year that Carmen Miranda was appointed as Brazil's official Cultural Ambassador for the New York World's Fair. Take a quick read through the lyrics of her "Ela, Diz que Tern" (She Says She Has NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996 ,
It) and you'll begin to appreciate the romantic, exotic appeal of Brazilian music that continues through today: I have the dark skin, the body, a profile inside which is the heart ofBrazil I have in my body the scent of the samba...1 am Brazilian. Many of the 65 tracks included in this box set have never before been released outside of Brazil, and several tracks are debuted here, according to producer Jack O'Neil. "In choosing the music, we listened to thousands of compositions. Some very well-known songs were passed over in favor of tunes we felt where more musically significant, giving a broader outlook on a particular artist." While the roots of American pop can be traced back though rock and roll to R&B, for Brazil, it's a straight line to samba, and Brasil: A century of Song excels in making thispoint. The box set's second volume, Carnaval, celebrates this special world. In virtually every aspect of Brazilian song, some element of samba is present. Its resourceful marriage of African rhythms and European instrumentation has resulted in an extremely adaptive
form and this CD represents a superbly balanced collection. In 1958, Elv s Presley's "Jailhouse Ro k" caused both teenagers a d critics to go wild. Down n Brazil, a new song form lied Bossa Nova had create d the same scenario by finding its voice with an unassuming young singer named JoAo Gilberto. With Brasil: A Century of Song's third volume, the Bossa Nova Er 4, we're introduced to the moment of Bossa's birth wit1 Gilberto's studio version o "A Felicidade" from the thovie Black Orpheus. There are some real gems here: Sylvia Telles with a resurrectel version of Antonio Carl s Jobim's "Dindi," Quart to em Cy's "Pedro Pedreiro ' and Chico Buarque' s memorable "Ela Desatinou." Bossa Nova's current state is portrayed by Leny Andrade, Toninho Horta and Leila Pinheiro. Times of defiant protest against the military and the government defined the late 60s. In cities like no Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, dictatorship pushed Brazilian music past Bossa Nova's age of innocence to a growing so-
cial awareness called Wawa Popular Brasileira or MPB, and with it came new performers. This fourth disc includes offerings from Gal Costa, Milton Nascimento, the late Clara Nunes, Simone, Jorge Ben Jor and Ivan Lins. You'll also find a rare version of Joyce's "Feminina" (Feminine) as just one more example of how MPE3 has paced its country's social development. Brasil: A Century ofSong is an unmatched collection, the perfect starting place for someone wanting to learn more about the roots of Brazilian music and an indispensable addition to anyone's Brazilian music library. Although each of the CDs may be purchased separately, we advise you to pick up the box set. It contains a well-written 48-page book that details each song and its importance in the spectrum of Brazilian music, complete with an essay from Oscar Castro Neves and an insightful introduction from Milton Nascimento. You may preview Blue Jackel Entertainment's new box set, Brasil: A Century of Song 24 hours a day by calling our Brazilian Music Review Listener Line at (847) 292-4545.
anticipated release of the year; not just for fans of the lian music or jarr, but for connoiSSeun Of great songwriting and music. The fifty-five songs in this collection put Antonio Cellos fobim on display in all of fo vets aeon artist guitarist pianist, vocalist and, of course, containing rare family poser. Included is, photographs, Interviews, and an exsenslve essay. COO, is devoted to al classic vocal ,vednions CO O, comprises Is instrumental performances Coca provides a chance to hear, side by side versions of the same songs by different M{LliCiarIS fry-five songs in this collection feature Antonio Carlos Jobim nnin his compositions with g-eat jazr and Brazilian musicians 55tan Get., 'oao and Astrud Gilberto, Ells Reyina. and malty
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AM? Madame!... — It all starts when two friends get a phone number that belonged to a palm reader and decide to take the clients for themselves. By Marcelo Saback and Vinicius Marques. In Rio. A Comedia — Complicated and funny love-triangle. Mauricio Lencasttre wrote and directs Viviane Dias, Ludh Raposo and Gabriela Neri star. In Sao Paulo. Como Encher um Biquini Selvagem — Written and directed by multitalented Miguel Falabella with Claudia Jimenez. A story of loneliness in the big city. In Rio. Encontro no Supermercado — A Ultima Seducao — By Shulla Megiddo, directed by Claudio Torres. Middle-age couple rediscover love when they meet at the supermarket. With Tereza Rachel and Luiz Carlos Moraes. In Rio. Eu Se! que Vou Te Amar — Only after their separation couple finds out how much they loved each other. Written by Arnaldo Jabor, directed by William Pereira. With Julia Lemertz and Alexandre Borges. In Rio. Mary Stuart — The struggle for power between queens Mary Stuart and Elizabeth I. From Friedrich Schiller. Directed by Gabriel Villela. In Sao Paulo. Oeste — Drama. A family feud between two brothers who see the world very differently. Sam Shepard's play directed by Marco Ricca with Renata Sorrah and Xuxa Lopes. In Sao Paulo. Querida Mamae — The hatelove relationship between daughter and mother. Eva Vilma stars and Jose Wilker directs this Maria Adelaide Amaral's story. In Sao Paulo. Todo Mundo Sabe que Todo Mundo Sabe — Another play from prolific and multitalented Miguel Falabella who also directs it. A socialite struggles to avoid economic disaster. In Rio. 46
American films just released: In the Bleak Winter (Sonho de uma Noite de Inverno), Flirt (Flerte), Cutthroat Island (A Ilha da Garganta Cortada), Vampire in Brooklyn (Urn Vampiro no Brooklyn), It Takes Two (As Namoradas do Papa:), Goofy — The Film (Pateta — o Filme), Broken Arrow (A Ultima Ameaca), Jumanji (Jumanji), Copycat (Copycat — A Vida Imita a Morte), 12 Monkeys (Os Doze Macacos), A Kid in King Arthur's Court (Um Garoto na Corte,do Re! Arthur), Dead Man Walking (Os Ultimos Passos de urn Homem ), Casino (Cassino), Nixon (Nixon) Como Ser Mujer y no Morir en el Intento (Como Ser Mulher e Não Morrer na Intenceio) — Spain (1992)— Ana Belem's movie about a journalist woman in her 40s who goes through a midclle-age crisis. A Felicidade E... (Happiness Is...) — Brazil (1995) — Divided in four stories: "Sonho", "Bob", "Estrada", "Cruz", directed by A. S. Cecilio Neto, Jorge Furtado, Jose Pedro Goulart, and Jose Roberto Torero. Le Peril Jeune (Idade Perigosa) -- France (1993)— The French Big Chill. Four college friends get together after one of them dies of an overdose. Directed by Cedric Klapisch. 11 Postino (0 Carteiro e o Poeta) — Italy — 1995— Poet Pablo Neruda's friendship with the mailman during the writer's exile in an Italian island. Directed by Michael Radford. 0 Qu4trilho — Brazil — 1995 — Fabio Barreto directs Patricia Pillar, Gloria Pires, Bruno Campos, and Alexander Paternorst in this dramatic story of two couples against the morals of the time. The action takes place among Italian immigrants in the south of Brazil. Nominated for the Oscar. Les Silences du Palais (Os Silencios do Palacio) — France — 1994 — By Moufida Tlatly. After the death of her father, a famous young singer returns to the palace where she was born. Terra Estrangeira (Foreign Land) — Brazil — 1995 — Brazilian flees to Portugal amid economic turmoil in Brazil during the Collor de Mello presidency. Directed by Walter Salles Junior. L'Uomo delle Stelle (0 Homem das Estrelas) — Italy (1995) — Artist travels with his camera throughout Italy. From Giuseppe Tornatore. The White Baloon (0 Bard° Branco) —Iran — 1995 — The dreams of a little girl whose only ambition is to get a red fish as gift. Jafar Pahani is the director.
best-sellers Fiction
1. 0 Mundo de Sofia Jostein Gaarder (Comp. das Letras) 2. 0 Xango de Baker Street Jo Soares (Comp. das Letras) 3. A Profecia Celestina James Radfield (Objetiva) 4. Manhd, Tarde, Noite Sidney Sheldon (Record) 5. Comedias da Vida Privada — 101 Cronicas Escolhidas Luis F. Verissimo (L&PM) 6. Razdo e Sentiment° Jane Austen 7. Presente Danielle Steel 8. Os Catadores de Conch as Rosamunde Pilcher (Bertrand Brasil) 9. Quase Mernoria Carlos Heitor Cony (Companhia das Letras) 10. Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira Jose Saramago (Companhia das Letras)
Nonfiction
1. A Assustadora Historia da Medicina Richard Gordon (Ediouro) 2. Almas Gemeas Monica Buonfiglio (Oficina Cultural Esoterica) 3. Chard - Rei do Brasil Fernando Morais (Companhia das Letras) 4. A Estrada do Futuro Bill Gates (Companhia das Letras) 5. Minutos de Sabedoria Luis Torres Pastorino (Vozes) 6. Frugal gourmet Jeff Smith 7. Anjos Cabalisticos Monica Buonfiglio (Oficina Cultural Esoterica) 8. Guia de Leitura da Profecia Celestina James Redfield (Objetiva) 9. Paula Isabel Allende (Bertrand Brasil) 10. 0 Guia dos Curiosos Marcelo Duarte (Companhia das Letras) NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
POIR
000 000
SUMMER FOLLIES For the 12th year in a row San Francisco will become a little piece of Rio and Salvador when hundreds ofBrazilians and Carnaval lovers take to the streets in several blocos with names like Ginga Brasil and Batu Pitu. This year the San Francisco Street Carnaval, considered the US's biggest celebration of its kind outside New Orleans, will happen May 26, a Sunday. Batu Pitu alone, which was last year's champion, will have three floats and around 200 merrymakers. Their risque samba-enredo (samba-plot) is called Vice-Versa and plays with San Francisco's legendary laissez-faire attitude in sexual matters. Cristina Ribeiro, the singer who invented the marareggae (maracatu + reggae), has just come back from Brazil to be one of the party's shiniest stars.
ART UNVEILED The Brazilian participation at the recent Artexpo New York '96 was so gratifying and successful that the works are being prepared to tour several US cities. Brazil had never before had its own Pavilion at the world's largest art marketplace. Its debut, however, was first class, presenting an exhibit entitled "A Century of Art in Brazil," which had previously been presented in Sao Paulo. Close do 60 artists from several Brazilian states participated in the show. Thanks to the Brazilian presence at the Artexpo, American art dealers have already scheduled trips to Rio where they will meet other artists and visit art galleries. NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Angolan Mestre Benedito taught Mestre Pastinha who taught Mestre Joao Grande who taught Mestre Moraes who taught a new generation of masters including Neco, Ze Carlo, Cobra Mansa e Braga. This same tradiLas tion which gave birth to Grupo de Capoeira Angola Pelourinho has now brought to light Capoeira Angola from Salvador, Bra:il, a 39-track CD containing the best that Ratan° (from Bahia) group has to offer. Accompanied by a comprehensive 40-page bilingual booklet the album has the blessing and the sponsorship of the Organization of the American States and the Smithsonian Institute which released the disc through its Smithsonian/ Folkways Recordings. As Daniel Dawson explains on the liner notes: "The importance of music in capoeira cannot be overstated. It creates the atmosphere in which this art form is most beautifully expressed."
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Looking for a very fast, efficient, and pleasant way to learn Brazilian Portuguese? (415) 9913476 [130] COLLECTIBLES
Capoeira Master Trading Cards! Complete sets available for $11.65. Californians add 8.25% sales tax. Donald Coley 969 62nd Street Oakland, CA 94608-1360 [127] COOKING
Best Selling Brazilian Cookbook - Delightful Brazilian Cooking by Eng Tie Ang. Over 130 authentic, quick and easy recipes. $14.95, plus $3.00 shipping and handling. P.O. Box 30818 - Seattle, WA 98103 - Phone and Fax (206) 789-3693. [126] HEALTH & FITNESS
Lose weight. Keep it off and eat well. Natural herbs treatment. Massage, facial cleansing and waxing. (415) 256-1213 [124] JOB OFFERED
US/International company in 30 countries is expanding to Brazil. No experience necessary. Will train. P/T $500- $2,000; F/ T $2,000 - $6,000 — (310) 3733681 [123] Music Brazilian Music in its totality. Samba, bossa nova, chorinho, baiao, axe, and more. Merchant Express - (800) 589-5884., "Paula Maya and the Earth Tribe", the best Brazilian pop jazz band. Amazing original music. You can also purchase the CD "Paula Maya New Perspective" by mail. Call now: (206) 781-5193 [124] NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
Jornais e revistas do Brasil. Recebemos jornais diarios e todas as principals revistas, incluindo masculinas e femininas. Tel. (800) 589-5884. PERSONAL WOMAN SEEKS MAN
Attractive, sophisticated economically independent Brazilian lady seeks nice Americano 4560 for serious commitment. Write to Claudice, SQN-308Bloco "H" Apt. 605 - Brasilia DF 70000 Brazil [124] NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
Sophisticated, attractive lady with Scandinavian art degree seeks professional, attractive 4758 man — non-American, non smoker —for love eventual marriage. (213) 851-2767 [125] Sou Ellen, americana corn coracao brasileiro, bem educada, que adora a musica, a cultura, a lingua e o povo brasileiros. Queria conhecer um brasileiro solteiro de 40 anos ou mais, em boa forma, morando em New York City ou pertinho. E-mail: 73160.3237@compuserve.com [130] PERSONAL MAN SEEKS WOMAN
American, male, 44 years old, would like to meet a Brazilian lady. I speak English only. Call (415) 994-8470 (San Francisco) [124] American Doctor, male, seeks Brazilian lady, 18-32 for fun and romance. Must be pretty. I'm very handsome and look Brazilian. (213) 293-8909. Los Angeles area. American Plastic Surgeon. Internationally recognized,. Attractive. Athletic. Has toured Brazil. Seeks intelligent, athletic, attractive, non smoking Brasileira who likes skin diving, aerobics, surfing, outdoor photography & cooking. Ages 22-30. Send photos and C.V. to G.M. - 2318 Washington - Great Bend, Kansas, 67530 - U.S.A. Americano, 38 anos, alto, delgado, branco, olhos azuis, professor de Ingles, procura brasileira 18-30 anos. (310) 2895719 William - Ou: 1223 Broadway #143, Santa Monica, CA 90404 [124] Americano, young 44, honest, romantic, seeks brasileira 27-39. Has toured Brasil. Likes your people, music, soccer. Falo Portugues. Letter/photo to Douglas, 18 Grand Rio Cir., Sacramento, CA 95826 [125] Blue eyes, 6' tall college grad, business owner, traveler near Marina Del Rey, California, seeks a sharing, caring, sensual relationship with a petite, ethnic, Brasileira — Barrett (310) 3902586 [124] Divorced white male, 45, seeks for correspondence, friendship, marriage, warm, kind, loving, non-smoking Brazilian women 18-33 years, some English, one child OK. I will complete graduate business school and travel to
FEIRA L1VRE RATES: 50e a word. Phone is one word. DISCOUNTS: For 3 times deduct 5%. for 6 times deduct 10%, for 12 times deduct 15%. POLICY: All ads to be prepaid. Ads are accepted at our discretion. Sorry, no credit card at this time. Your canceled check is your receipt. Please, include address and phone number, which will be kept confidential. DEADLINE: The 15th of the month. Late material \N ill be held for the following month if appropriate. TO PLACE AD: Send ad with check or money order to: News from Brazil P.O. Box 42536 Los Angeles, CA 90050-0536. Brazil June 1998. Serious inquiries only please. Photo and letters: James King, 208 S. Elm St. Apt. C, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. Also ;-mail to grjking@ecuvm. is.ecu.edu [124] Successful, wealth good-looking marriage-min d romantic American comedy writer, 30, speaks a little Portu uese, seeks slender, intelligen , educated, English-speaking, onsrnoking, nonreligious brasil ira in L.A. area. Note & photo t : Occupant, P.O. Box 3757, Sa ta Monica, CA 90408 PERSONAL MAN SEEKS MAN
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5089 [125] Brazilian guy, 27, looking for friendship, collects post cards. Fabio — PO Box 9091, L.I.C. NY 11103-0904 Sou brasileira, tenho 16 anos, quero me corresponder corn mocas e rapazes brasileiros, latinos ou americanos que falem portugues ou espanhol. Luciene Pinto —Rua Leonardo Da Vinci, 13 — Senador Camara — CEP 21831-100 Rio, Brazil [122] PSYCHOTHERAPY
Chronic & Life Threatening illnesses, A.D.D. & dyslexia, life transitions, bicultural & relationship issues, sexual identity conflict — Edison de Mello, M.D., Ph.D. — MFCC Lic# 021323 —Portuguese/ Spanish/ English. (310) 281-9901 [124] Emotional & psychological help - Elizabete Almeida MFCC licensed psychotherapist. English/Portuguese. Reasonable rates. (310) 281-7536. [133] RENT
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Very handsome, ofessional, kind and generous g y American man who loves trul the music, seeks caring, sincer Brazil man 25 to 45 from Los Angeles or Brazil. Call or write Occupant 12425 Texas Ave. # 3, Los An geles, CA 90025 - (310) 2078793 [123]
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calendar - may 96 - u.s.a. ktt
TV & RADIO COAST TO COAST SHORT WAVE RADIO Radio Nacional da Amazonia - Daily, especially on evenings and early morning - 6,180 & 11,780 Khz Radiobras - All universal time - From 12 noon to 1:20 PM, in English and from 1:30 PM to 2:50 PM, in Spanish 15,445 Khz BOSTON
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Heiio Oiticica & Neville D'Almeida exhibit and fi!rls at Los Angeles MOCA (213) 621-17C 8- Open until July 15
WEDNESDAY, 1 OAKLAND, CAL. 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM - :van Lins at Yoshi's
LOS ANGELES
8:00 PM & 10:00 PM - Ivan Lins at Yoshi's
SAN DIEGO, CAL. 3:30 PM - San Diego Samba School at Café Sevilla 10:00 PM - Sambrasil at Cafe Sevilla
LONG BEACH, CAL. 7:00 PM - SambaLa Samba School at the Foothill
MONDAY 6 SANTA CRUZ, CAL
THURSDAY, 2 OAKLAND, CAL.
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8:00 PM & 10:00 PM - Ivan Lins at Yoshi's
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9:00 PM - Ivan Lins at House of Blues (213) 8485100
8:30 PM -Leny Andrade, Dori Caymmi, Danilc Caymmi, Romero Lubambo and other in a Tribute to MPB at Jack G cason Theater (305) 864-7578
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The Sounds of Brazil - Every Saturday, 10:00 pm Midnight, 95.5 FM, WIlUA with Scott Adams Show Brazil - Every Friday, 8.00 am - 11:00 am, 91.5 FM, WMFO with Edna Moreno Brazilian Style of Music Every Friday, 11:00 am 2:00 pm, 91.5 FM, WMFO with Marlon Catao
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HOUSTON 9:00 PM - Brazilian Express in Houston Brazili,-(n 4ssociation anniversary party at Prcmier Inn/Best Western Hotel (713) 797-1423
LOS ANGELES 8:00 PM - Axe, the Brazilian Jazz Ensemble at Zabumba
THURSDAY 9 SOLANA BEACH, CAL 8:00 PM & 10:00 PM - Ivan Lins at Belly Up Tavern
BERKELEY, CAL 9:00 PM - Adriana & Carlos Oliveira at Nino's
FRIDAY 10 NEW YORK 7:30 PM - Dance Brazil in Quilombos at High 5 - Call Ticketmaster
SEBASTOPOL, CAL. 7:30 PM - Umbanda Ritual at Temple Guaracy (707) 829-3462
POMPANO B., FLORIDA 8:00 PM - Clauduarte at Rebecca's (954) 7857766
LOS ANGELES 9:30 PM - MILA Samba School at Cafe Danssa
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Lois & Zelao at Ginga Brazil
SATURDAY 11 POMPANO B., FLORIDA 6:00 PM - Dunga & Band at Panorama Restaurant (954) 784-8136
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Sergio 2000 at Ginga Brazil
BERKELEY, CAL.
LOS ANGELES
9:00 PM - Aquarela & Entre N6s at Ashkenaz
9:30 PM - Constellation Band at Café Danssa
SUNDAY 12 SAN FRANCISCO
MIAMI
POMPANO B., FLORIDA
RADIO
6:00 PM - Dunga & Band at Panorarra Restaurant (954) 784-8136
Brazilians Love Jazz - Every Sunday, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm with Gina Martelli - 93.9 - Love 94
ANAHEIM, CAL.
SAN DIEGO, CAL.
7:00 PM - Lois & Zelao at Ginga Brazil
3:30 PM - San Diego Samba School at Café Sevilla 10:00 PM - Sambrasil at Café Sevilla
LOS ANGELES 9.30 PM - Constellation Band at CaTe Danssa
50
SUNDAY 5 OAKLAND, CAL.
8:00 PM - Axe, the Brazillan Jazz Ensemble at Zanumba
CHICAGO
Sounds of Brazil - Every Thursday, Noon - 2:00 pm, KPFK, 90.7 FM with Sergio Mielniczenko Brazilian Hour - Every Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am - 10.00 am, KXLU, 88.9 FM with Sergio Mielniczenko
y•
ONGOING IN 'CALIFORNIA
8:00 PM Fogo na Roupa at Bahia Cabana
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
calendar - may 96 - u.s.a. (707) 829-3462
LONG BEACH, CAL. 7:00 PM - SambaLa Samba School at the Foothill
THURSDAY 16 BERKELEY, CAL
POMPANO B., FLORIDA 8:00 PM - Clauduarte at Rebecca's (954) 785-7766
LOS ANGELES
9:00 PM - Adriana & Carlos Oliveira at Nino's
9:30 PM - MILA Samba School at Cafe Danssa
ANAHEIM, CAL.
FRIDAY 17 SEBASTOPOL, CAL.
7:00 PM - Lois & Zelao at Ginga Brazil
TV
SATURDAY 25 SAN FRANCISCO
BTN (Brazilian TV Network) - 11:00 pm - 1:00 am, DCI ch. 40, S. South ch. 51, Adelphia ch. 52, Gold Coast ch. 99
7:30 PM - Umbanda Ritual at Temple Guaracy (707) 829-3462
POMPANO B., FLORIDA 8:00 PM - Clauduarte at Rebecca's (954) 7857766
10:00 PM - Aquarela Show & Banda Constelagao in Carnaval Ball at Bahia Cabana
LOS ANGELES
ANAHEIM, CAL.
9:30 PM - MILA Samba School at Cafe Danssa
7:00 PM - Sergio 2000 at Ginga Brazil
LOS ANGELES
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Sergio 2000 at Ginga Brazil
SATURDAY 18 POMPANO B., FLORIDA
TV & RADIO
9:30 PM - Constellation Band at Café Danssa
Luqui Corporation -Jornal Bandeirantes - 11:00 pm 1.00 am, Dynamic ch. 20, S. South ch 41, Gold Coast ch. 44, DCI ch. 45
SUNDAY 26 SAN FRANCISCO
NEW YORK
9:30 PM - Constellation Band at Café Danssa
10:00 AM - Carnaval Grand Paraie starts at 24th and Bryant down to Mission and 17th St 10:00 PM - Aquarela Show & Banda Constelagao in Carnaval Ball at Bahia Cabana
SUNDAY 19 SAN FRANCISCO
7:00 PM - SambaLa Samba School at the Foothill
Brasil com S - Every Saturday, 9.00 PM with Judith King, 88.3 FM - WBGO Brazil Street Samba - Every Friday, 10:00 PM with Leo Costa & Alberto Lopes - 89.9 FM - WKCR Radio Amazonia - Every day, 6:30 PM on short wave - 6.185 MHZ
6:00 PM - Dunga & Band at Panorama Restaurant (954) 784-8136
ANAHEIM, CAL. 7:00 PM - Lois & Zelao at Ginga Brazil
LOS ANGELES
LONG BEACH, CAL.
8:00 PM - Fogo na Roupa at Bahia Cabana
THURSDAY 30 BERKELEY, CAL
SAN DIEGO, CAL. 3:30 PM - San Diego Samba School at Cafe Sevilla 10:00 PM - Sambrasil at Cafe Sevilla
9:00 PM - Adriana & Carlos Oliveira at Nino's
FRIDAY 31 SEBASTOPOL, CAL
LONG BEACH, CAL. 7:00 PM - SambaLa Samba School at the Foothill
WEDNESDAY, 22 LOS ANGELES
7:30 PM - Umbanda Ritual at Temple Guaracy (707) 829-3462
RADIO
TV Brazil Update - Every Saturday, 3:30 PM - Channel 69 Brazilians in America-TV - Every Sunday, 5.30 PM Channel 16
POMPANO B., FLORIDA
S. FRANCISCO
8:00 PM - Axe, the Brazilian Jazz Ensemble at Zabumba
8:00 PM - Clauduarte at Rebecca's (954) 785-7766
THURSDAY 23 BERKELEY, CAL.
9:30 PM - MILA Escola de Samba at Cafe Danssa
Brasileirinho - Every Wednesday, 9.30 PM, KZSC, 88.1 FM with Renato Frota Brasil Musical - Every Sunday, 1.00 PM - 5.00 PM, Radio Bilingue, 91.5 FM via satellite, with Ricardo and Amarina Pugh - Fresno Canta, Brasil - Every Sunday, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM KKUP, 91.5 FM, with Xuxu, Maria Jose and David Heyman Programa de Domingo Every Sunday, 1:00 PM 2:00 PM, KSQQ 96.1 FM with Lino Bugatti A Taste of Brazil - Every Sunday, 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM, KKSF, 103.7 with Dick Conte Tropicalia Brasiliana - Every Friday, 8.00 PM - 9:00 PM, KUSF, 90.3 with Raimundo Franco
LOS ANGELES
9:00 PM - Adriana & Carlos Oliveira at Nino's
ANAHEIM, CAL,
FRIDAY 24 SEBASTOPOL, CAL.
7:00 PM - Marcos Santos at Ginga Brasil
7:30 PM - Umbanda Ritual at Temple Guaracy
ANAHEIM, CAL. Ginga Brazil - 821 N. Euclid. (714) 778-0266
BERKELEY Ashkenaz - 1317 San Pablo Ave. (510) 525-5054
Nino's - 1916 Martin L. King Jr. (510) 845-9303
LOS ANGELES 14 Below - 1348 14th St., Santa Monica -(310) 451-5040 NEWS from BRAZIL -MAY 1996
Cafe Danssa - 11533 W. Pico RI. West L.A.- (310) 478-7866 Foothill - 1922 Cherry Ave. Long Beach -(310) 983-9190 La Ve Lee- 12514 Ventura Bl. - Studio City- (818) 980-8158 Zabumba -107 l 7 Venice Blvd Culver City -(310) 841-6525
NEW YORK Blue Note - (212) 475-8592 SOB -(212) 307-7171
OAKLAND, CAL. 'Voshi's -6030 Claremont Ave. (510) 652-9200
SAN DIEGO Cafe Sevilla - (619) 233-5979
S. FRANCISCO Bahia Cabana - 1600 Market
St. (415) 861-4202 Chambord - 152 Kearney St
(415) 434-3688
51
Centro Cultural Gaucho (213) 256-6548 Clubinho da Crianca (818) 248-3667 MILA - Samba School Books (310) 391-6098 SambaLa -Esc. de Samba Livraria Plenitude (310) 628-9789 (800) 532-5809 Computer Consulate Henriques - Maintenance Consulado G. do Brasil (818) 767-5153 (617) 617-542-4000 Consulate Dentist Brazilian Consulate Sylvio P. Lassa (213) 651-2664 (617) 924-1882 Dentists Food & Products Gilberto Henriques Aqui Brazil (213) 464-0524 (617) 787-0758 Jose Carlos D. Polido Brasil Brasil (714) 848-9200 (617) 561-6094 Events Promotion Jerry's Cachaca (617) 666-5410 Brazilian Nites Prod. (818) 566-1111 Instruction Pegasus - Parties & Ent. Braz. & Amer. Lg. Inst. (818) 549-0383 (617) 787-7716 Ricardo Gehr Music (818) 831-0992 Brazil CDs Food & Products (617) 524-5030 Brazilian Market Publications (310) 827-9139 The Brazilian Monthly Import/Export (617) 566-3651 Brazil "R" US Restaurants (310) 607-9771 N & R International Café Brazil (909) 626-3656 (617) 789-5980 Tropicilia Instruction (617) 567-4422 Brasil Brasil Cult. Ctr Pampas Churrascaria (310) 397-3667 (617) 661-6613 Modern Lang. Center (310) 839-8427 Legal Services Consulate Meiojas & Ferraz (310) 360-0901 Consulado G. do Brasil (312) 464-0244 Music Translations Bossa Nova - Ge6rgia (818) 891-0912 Portuguese Lang. Ctr. Braz. Jazz /All Occasions (312) 276-6683 (310) 839-3788 Jazz - Richard Samuels (818) 798-5424 Physician Paulo Coharte Accountant (310) 285-9670 Sheila Shanker Dacio Rangel (310) 836-3436 (310) 828-7454 Ingrid Rodi - Gynec. Airlines (310) 451-8144 Varig Nilson A. Santos (800) GO VARIG (213) 483-3430 Vasp Psychother/Counsel. (310) 364-0160 Elizabeth Almeida M.A. Arts & Crafts (310) 281-7536 Bakari Art Studio Fatima Castro (213) 938-0523 (310) 822-6770 Folk Creations Dr. Jefferson Si (310) 693-2844 (818) 592-0402 Uniquely Brazil - Folk Publications (818) 458-1474 Zebi Designs News from Brazil (310) 391-6530 (213) 255-4953 Auto Repair Real Estate Cosmo Auto Parts Cent. 21 - Solon Pereira (213) 259-9818 (310) 633-0787 Cold. Banker-J. Freitas Banks (818) 304-9562 Banco do Brasil Restaurants & Cafés (213) 688-2996 Bossa Nova Catering (310) 657-5070 Joy's Catering Brazilian Tropical (310) 438-3415 (714) 720-1522 Remi Vila Real By Brazil (818) 280-0061 (310) 787-7520 Clothes Café Brasil Samba (310) 837-8957 (310) 628-9789 Ginga Brasil Summer Brazil (714) 778-0266 (310) 455-1772 Lulu's Alibi Clubs & Associations (310) 479-6007 Yolie's Brazilian Steak Brazil-Cal. Chbr of Corn. (714) 251-0722 (310) 202-6820
Boston Area
Chicago
Los Angeles
52
Zabumba (310) 841-6525 Translation/Interp. Brazilian Int. Affairs (310) 854-5881 Tocantins Communic. (818) 248-3667 Travel/Tours Around the World Trl. (800) 471-6333 Brazil Air (800) 441-8515 Brazil Tours (818) 767-1200 Cheviot Hills Travel (310) 202-6264 F & H - Hotel Repres. (800) 544-5503 IVA C. W. Travel (909) 988-7127
Miami Airlines Transbrasil (800) 872-3153 Varig (800) 468-2744 Vasp (800) 732-8277 Banks Banco do Brasil (305) 358-3586 Banco Nacional (305) 372-0100 Banco Real (305) 358-2433 Banespa (305) 358-9167 Clubs & Associations ABFC- As. Bras. da Flan (407) 354-5200 Cam. Corn. Brasil- EUA (305) 579-9030 ARARA - Amazon. As. (813) 842-3161 Consulate Consulado do Brasil (305) 285-6200 Dentists Arnaldo Souza (305) 595-3238 fledimo de Si (305) 262-8212 Food & Beverages All Braz. Imp. & Exp. (305) 523-8134 Guarani Esteves (305) 345-1540 Via Brasil (305) 866-7718 Physicians Dr. Jorge Macedo (305) 271-7311 Dr. Mario Sanches (305) 541-7819 Dr. Neri Franzon (305) 776-1412 Publications Florida Review (305) 374-5235 Restaurants Brazilian Tropicana (305) 781-1113 Brazilian Delight (305) 374-0032 Brazilian Pie (305) 866-1001 Cheese Bread House (305) 443-5358 Gula Gula (305) 532-3636 Travel Agencies Brazilian Wave (305) 561-3788 Discover Brazil Tours (800) 524-3666 Euroamerica (305) 358-3003
International Tours (800) 822-1318 Luma Travel (305) 374-8635 Monark Travel (305) 374-5855 New Port Tours (305) 372-5007 Venture Travel (305) 379-7678 Via Brasil Travel (305) 866-7580
New York New Jersey Books Luso-Brazilian Books (800) 727-LUSO Clubs & Associations Brazilian Ch. of Corn. (212) 575-9030 Brazilian Corn. Bureau (212) 916-3200 Brazilian Trade Bur. (212) 224-6280 Consulate Brazilian Gen. Cons. (212) 757-3080 Food & Products Amazonia (718) 204-1521 Coisa Nossa (201) 578-2675 Merchant Express (201) 589-5884 Publications The Brasilians (212) 382-1630 Brazilian Voice (201) 955-1137 Portugal-Brasil News (212) 228-2958 Samba Newsletter (718) 937-0574 Restaurants Brasilia (212) 869-9200 Brazil 2000 (212) 877-7730 Brazilian Pavillion (212) 758-8129 Cabana Carioca (212) 581-8088 Indigo Blues (212) 221-0033 S.O.B. (212) 243-4940 Travel Agencies Barb Tour Service (201) 313-0996 International Sandfly (718) 699-2900 Mystical Destinations (718) 956-1630 Nascente Travel (718) 545-0608 Odyssea Travel Service (212) 826-3019 Santos Dumont Int. (212) 764-5680
San Diego Attorney Ivan Porto (800) 314-4826 Clubs & Associations Clube Bras. San Diego (619) 295-0842 Sunday Night Cl. Brazil (619) 233-5979 Import/Export Brazil Imports (619) 234-3401 Money Remittance
Vigo-California (619) 479-VIGO
Voz do Brazil (415) 586-2276
San Francisco Area Airlines Varig (415) 986-5737 Vasp (800) 732-VASP Attorney Ralph Baker (510) 444-8100
Printing NI. C. Printing (510) 268-8967
Auto Nelson Auto Body (415) 255-6717 Mans Auto Body (415) 565-3560 Beauty Salon Bibbo (415) 421-BIBO Carmen's International (415) 433-9441 Neyde's (415) 681-5355 Clubs B.A.S.O. (415) 661-2788 Bay Area Brasilian Club (415) 334-0106 Computer Micronet (415) 665-1994 Consulate Brazilian Consulate (415) 981-8170 Dance Instruction Aquarela (510) 548-1310 Brazil Culture & Arts (510) 215-8202 Ginga Brasil (510) 428-0698 Escola Nova de Samba (415) 661-4798 Samba do Coracio (415) 826-2588 Samba, Swing & Suor (415) 282-7378 Dental Care Roberto Sales, DDS (510) 451-8315 Food Brazilian Coffee Dist. (415) 648-5966 California Produce (415) 586-6200 HGC Imp. Wholesale (408) 947-8511 Instruction Portuguese - A. Frame (510) 339-9289 Portuguese Lang. Serv. (415) 587-4990 Money Remittance Via Brazil (415) 673-0262 Vigo (415) 863-0218 West Brazil (415) 695-9258 Music Fogo na Roupa (510) 464-5999 Marcos Silva (510) 945-0138 Terra Sul (415) 752-9782 Viva Brazil (415) 342-8508
Musical Instruments Tamborim & Samba (415) 871-2201 Physician Dr. Guilherme Salgado (415) 832-6219
Publications Brazil Today (510) 223-5190 News from Brazil (415) 648-5966 Restaur./Night Clubs Bahia Cabana (415) 861-4202 Balboa Braz. Rest. (415) 387-1118 Café do Brasil (415) 626-6432 Café Mardi Gras (415) 864-6788 Canto do Brasil (415) 626-8727 Colusa Restaurant (415) 526-1500 Joao's Restaurant (408) 244-1299 Little gio (415) 441-3344 Michelangelo Café (415) 986-4058 Mozzarela Di-Bufala (415) 346-9888 Nino's (510) 845-9303 Taqueria Goyaz (415) 821-4600 Soccer Sunset Soccer Supply (415) 753-2666 Translation Port. Lang. Services (415) 587-4990 Travel Agencies Rio Roma (415) 921-3353 Santini Tours (510) 843-2363 Tropical Travel (510) 655-9904 Tuca nos Travel 4 4 4-996
ashington DC Area Airlines Transbrasil (202) 775-9180 Varig (202) 331-8913 Vasp (202) 822-8277 Banks Banco do Brasil (202) 857-0320 Banco do Est. de S. Paulo (202) 682-1151 Clubs & Associations Braz. Am. Cult. Inst. (202) 362-8334 Inst. of Brazil. Business (202) 994-5205 Embassy Embaixada do Brasil (202) 745-2700 Travel Agencies Intern. Discount Travel (703) 750-0101 Washington Travel (703) 527-6977 NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
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nents of the March 31 Movement possessed no consensus as to what should come next. Historical conspirators within the military advocating a prolonged period of purges stood alongside conservative UDN elements wanting the lengthy period of political dominance they had expected after the 1960 elections. Each coexisted uneasily with moderates for whom Goulart had been acceptable as long as they could expect a return of Kubitschek to power by 1966. Relations were equally shaky with legalists who had reluctantly acted only when they were convinced of Goulart-Brizola efforts to subvert military discipline and "unconstitutionally" change the constitution. Within the military there was a feeling that power could not be allowed to fall back into the hands of the Vargas lineage as in 1951, 1956, and 1961. Forces advocating an arbiter function by the military would carry the day in April 1964 and remain in control of the situation until October 1965. Only with the 1967 presidential succession was it obvious that a long authoritarian night under a military determined to be the nation's ruler would be inevitable.
The years of lead Developments of greater lasting significance had been taking place, especially within the student movement and the Church. These institutions would be critical elements in the radicalization and polarization that this time would result in the implantation of an openly dictatorial regime. RONALD M. SCHNEIDER Having again exercised the moderating power, the armed forces had to decide what to do next. Their first decision, to establish a semiconstitutional regime to replace the junta, would be followed by protracted disagreement over whether to remain in control of the government, return to a role of tutor, or retreat to being "just" the arbiter of national political life. Once the die was cast for a second military government, the country would embark upon a much longer period of rule by the armed forces than anyone imagined at the time — with the first decade spent on becoming more deeply entrenched in power as abortive normalization efforts led instead to an increasingly authoritarian political system. Castelo Branco and the Arbiter-Ruler Dilemma The forces that easily overthrew the Goulart government were united chiefly by agreement that the radicalization and lack of discipline of the preceding weeks were intolerable. Beyond a shared desire to end "subversion," the various compo-
Genera GostE e Silua
Avoidance of Dictatorship The immediate aftermath of the Goulart government's ouster was a short period of intense purges. General Artur da Costa e Silva organized a Revolutionary Supreme Command made up of himself, Admiral Augusto Rademaker Griinewald, and Air Force Chief of Staff Francisco de Assis Correia de Melo. Officers closely tied to Castelo Branco worked effectively behind the scenes to articulate Castelo Branco's successful candidacy to fill the rest of the Quadros-Goulart term, and Congress duly ratified this choice on April 11. By this time the Revolutionary Supreme Command had taken action to ensure that the "subversive" and "corrupt" elements linked to the overthrown regime were removed from political life. An "institutional act" made clear the military's view that rescuing the nation vested the armed forces with authority to decree a new order. This overriding of the existing constitution suspended for six months all legal rights of job tenure for public employees. Moreover, it authorized the executive to suspend political rights for ten years and to cancel the mandates of congressmen, state legislators, and members of municipal councils. Castelo Branco deprived Kubitschek of his political rights on June 8, acting under heavy pressure from Costa e Silva — who had remained as war minister. Significant for the future was the emergence of the hard-liners, an influential grouping of younger officers of a radical rightist position. When against the advice of this linha dura faction the president let his major discretionary powers lapse on June 15, they became increasingly uneasy over the government's stress on moderation and rationality. The heart of the Castelo Branco administration was the Sorbonne group for
whom the necessity of military exercise of the moderating power arose from basic flaws in the country's political structures. Through the long association of its ESG(National War College)-linked core with politicians, businessmen, industrialists, journalists, and bureaucrats, this faction had manpower adequate to its selfassumed task of overhauling the nation's political and administrative institutions. Whereas for their rightist rivals, subversion and corruption were still the fundamental problems, for them it was essential to put the punitive phase of the revolution behind and come to grips with the underlying structural problems. Planning Minister Roberto Campos's emergency mea:sures at the end of April had been glumly accepted as necessary in light of the country's financial chaos and galloping inflation When the Program of Government Economic Action (PAEG) was unveiled in August, groans turned to screams of anguish. Campos felt free from the considerations of political feasibility that had constrained previous stabilization efforts and took a strictly technocratic approach to the complex and intractable problems of economic policy. In retrospect, GDP growth of 3.4 percent in 1964, 2.4 percent for 1965, 6.7 percent in 1966, and 4.2 percent the next year appears exceptional for a period of adjustment and austerity. The 1965 Elections and the Revolution Within the Revolution As those opposed to reopening political competition so soon issued dire forecasts, Castelo pushed ahead with direct elections of governors in the eleven states where they had been elected in 1960 — a test of public reaction to his brand of tutelary democracy and institutional renovation. Although "revolutionary" candidates carried the day in most of the states, public perception was that of repudiation of the administration in major urban centers. Thus a behind-the-scenes military crisis developed; as a result, Costa e Silva consolidated his position as the leading contender to be Castelo's successor. When Congress failed to pass a series of constitutional amendments strengthening the executive's hand, a sweeping second institutional act was decreed on October 27. Under its provisions, presidents would henceforth be chosen by Congress and the existing political parties were dissolved. With this sacrifice of important features of democratic formalism, tutelage moved closer to control in the president's dealings with Congress and political groupings. By November a foundation was laid for a two-party system composed of the government-sponsored National Renovating Alliance (ARENA) and opposition elements banded together in the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB). Although the MDB had but 21 senators and 150 deputies, they included such a wide range of interests and ideological positions that it would never achieve a significant degree of unity and coherence. Costa e Silva formally launched his
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
presidential candidacy in January 196.. Then on February 5, Institutional Act No. 3 implanted indirect selection of governors, scheduled congressional elections for November 15, and eliminated election of mayors of capital cities. Castelo Branco thus yielded to hard-line pressures and established a system under which the government candidates could not lose. As Costa e Silva's election was never in doubt, the MDB decided not to compete. Thus, on October 3 Costa e Silva became Brazil's president-elect but under circumstances closely paralleling those of Floriano's selection nearly three quarters of a century before. Rebuffing congressional desir s for a significant voice in the process, t regime shaped a new constitution. When the results of the voting were in, the government had strengthened its hand, electing two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies and eighteen of twenty-two senators. ARENA had won 277 seats in the lower house on well over 8.7 million votes; the MDB's nearly 4.9 million votes we e good for 132 seats. Yet in Guanabara, Ri . de Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Sul, t e opposition held decisive edges, and in S Paulo it came close. Even in the stat s where ARENA won, the MDB did quiue well in the larger cities. Dominance by the Duros The inauguration of the amiable, qui e ordinary Costa e Silva ushered in the fir t of three periods' during which the pres dency would be occupied by someo e committed to the idea of the armed forc s as the country's proper and semiperm nent ruler, for Costa e Silva was clearl the choice of the hard-liners. Far from a more humane tutelary democracy, Braz 1 under Costa e Silva was to slide into t e type of unrestricted military dictatorshi Castelo Branco had largely been able t avoid. Costa e Silva and the Failure of Humanization A line officer in contrast to h s predecessor's experience in school an staff positions, Costa e Silva was adept routine military politics but inadequatel prepared for other areas of nation 1 policymaking. Since most cabinet me bets were ordinary figures, the way w s open for Antonio Delfim Netto (b. 1928), a Paulista economist, to emerge as the administration's leading light. Presiding over a homogeneous economic team. he would move ahead while the rest of the government was painfully slow to define policies and programs. Although the opposition's broad front was only an alliance at the top — sine mutual distrust reigned within this melan e of Lacerdistas, Juscelinistas, Janistas, an Janguistas — the government viewed it s a potentially dangerous threat to be ne tralized at any cost. Meanwhile develo ments of greater lasting significance had been taking place, especially within the student movement and the Church. These institutions would be critical elements in the radicalization and polarization that this time would result in the implantation
of an openly dictatorial regime. Accustomed to the Catholic Church as a bulwark of stability, many in the armed forces confused its newly found social conscience with giving aid and comfort to subversive agitators. The numerically predominant moderate current within the hierarchy wished no confrontation but was unwilling to forgo its right to speak out in the future. The second half of the 1968 legislative year found Congress in an insubordinate mood and extreme rightist groups carrying out acts of terrorism for which the leftist opposition would be blamed. Hence, although a good part of the responsibility for renewed terrorism rested with the increasingly active leftist revolutionaries, the right-wing extremists were more instrumental in escalating violence. Lack of presidential leadership was another factor contributing to a growing sense of malaise. Moreover, the question of presidential succession aroused civilist attitudes among some ARENA leaders and fed ambitions within the military. Interior Minister General Afonso de Albuquerque Lima advocated a greater say on economic policy for the military. On September 3 Deputy Marcio Moreira Alves issued an impassioned plea for a "boycott of militarism." Considering this part of a concerted conspiracy to discredit the armed forces in the eyes of the public, the military demanded that the young journalist-politician be punished. To this end heavy pressure was placed on the Chamber of Deputies to strip Moreira Alves of his parliamentary immunity. But on December 12 this was voted down. Since ninety-four government party congressmen balked on a measure considered vital by the executive, in the minds of hard-line officers punitive action was required. The Fifth Institutional Act and the Defeat of Normalization The executive's reaction was devastating. Opposition leaders and militant critics of the regime were arrested, and the draconian Institutional Act No. 5 (AI-5) granted the president authority to recess legislative bodies, intervene in the states without limit, cancel elective mandates, and take away political rights. Congress was closed indefinitely, which ended lingering hopes that the armed forces would soon return to an arbiter role. (Almost 1,400 individuals would be punished under AI-5.) Subsequently all elections scheduled prior to November 1970 were eliminated. Thus as Brazil entered the third year of Costa e Silva's administration, only the faintest traces of representative processes remained operational. The armed forces were in control of the country but deeply divided over how to exercise the responsibility they had assumed; political parties were virtually nonfunctioning; stringent censorship was strongly resented by media accustomed to substantial freedom; universities were crippled by faculty purges; and even the Catholic Church was torn between a fear of subversion and
55
repugnance for the regime's repressive third title in the past four tries, making up measures. Indications of turbulent politi- for a poor showing in 1966. Hence on cal waters ahead were abundant, but the October 3 all but one state legislature duly crisis was nearer at hand than anyone confirmed the governors handpicked by imagined. On August 31 the country Medici. awoke to the startling news that, in light Congressional elections followed on of a cardiovascular problem that inca- November 15 with 29 million registered pacitated Costa e Silva, the service min- voters, in a population approaching 95 isters had formed a junta. As the armed million, giving the government party 220 forces had vetoed assumption of the presi- of 310 lower house seats and victories in dential office by the civilian vice presi- 40 of 46 Senate races. On the strength of dent, it was clear that for the fourth time 10.9 million valid votes racked up by since 1964 progress toward political nor- ARENA to but 4.8 million for the MDB in malcy had been bulldozed the Chamber of Deputies into oblivion by military voting, the balloting was At the center of imposition of an even more a victory for the regime. arbitrary regime than had Geisel's decision Yet the MDB had won previously existed. once again in Guanabara, to begin The dramatic kidnapcome close in Rio Grande ping of US Ambassador C. decompression do Sul, and run well in Burke Elbrick did not diSao Paulo city — showwas the vert the junta from finding ing that the opposition rea military replacement for perception that tained a solid base in the the president and installmost advanced regions of ing him for a full presidenthe effective the country. tial term rather than merely Determined to end repression of the armed the remainder of Costa e opposition, the Silva's period. The rankviolence-oriented Medici government coming generals and admirals bined improved intelliopposition distilled the preferences of gence, systematic use of the flag officers serving during Medici's torture, and more sophisunder each of them, and a ticated counterinsurgency seven-man high command term had led to a tactics to destroy the vioratified on October 7 the lent Left. These tactics dangerous army's choice of General were masked behind a veil Emilio Garrastazu Medici of censorship and trumdegree of with Admiral Rademaker peting of the regime's ecoautonomy on the nomic accomplishments. as vice president and runner-up Orlando Geisel as The early 1970s was the part of the army minister. Moreover, heyday of out-of-control the extensive set of constisecurity secret repressive organitutional amendments dezations within the sprawlapparatus. creed ten days later ining security apparatus and creased centralization of of officially condoned power in the hands of the federal govern"death squads" among the ment, augmented the concentration of civilian police, especially in Sao Paulo authority in the executive, and further and Rio de Janeiro. Repression was bruextended the scope of the national secu- tally efficient, although not nearly on the rity law and military courts. After ten same scale or marked with as great a dismonths of enforced recess and minus the regard for human life as was the case in large number of its most determined mem- Argentina. bers who had fallen afoul of the instituLong viewed as Brazil's only truly tional act, Congress was summoned back national institution aside from the armed to Brasilia to ratify the military's deciforces, the Catholic Church became the sion. chief critic of human rights violations and, The Medici Years: Institutionalizto an increasing degree, of social injustice ing the National Security State as well. Yet substantial elements of its "Project Brazil: Great Power- was hierarchy sympathized with the technothe leitmotif of Medici's administration, cratic side of the regime. Many were preone in which high rates of economic occupied with their own problem of inadgrowth would coexist with effective re- equate manpower combined with the loss pression. Feeling strengthened by the of Catholic rural workers to Pentecostal capture-killing of guerrilla leader Carlos sects and to umbanda (a blend of religions Marighella, Medici made it clear that in drawing heavily on African roots) as they his "revolutionary state," the president migrated to the outskirts of Brazil's cities. retained emergency powers as leader of A major lesson of the Medici period the revolutionary movement and chief was how great a degree of acceptance executive. Economic growth had held at could be engendered by a repressive gov9.5 percentin 1969 — after an astoundernment through sustained economic ing jump to 9.8 percent in 1968 — and growth when gains were loudly proclaimed was accelerating, and the regime found it and costs swept under the censorship rug. easy to keep public attention diverted The dramatic positive side of the coin was from politics during 1970. In this respect economic growth; fueled by heavy industhe World Cup soccer finals in Mexico trial investment, it steamed ahead at 10.4 helped significantly, as Brazil won its percent for 1970, 11.3 percent in 1971,
12.1 percent during 1972, and 14.0 percent for 1973, This economic miracle provided the foundation for the national mood of optimism generated by the regime's carefully orchestrated campaigns behind such slogans as "Brazil: love it or leave it." Critics stressed extremely inequitable income distribution, failure of growth to lead to improvement in the standard of living for the masses, wasteful expenditures on showy infrastructural projects, and neglect of pressing social problems. Often lost in the debate was the fact that inflation — generally the dragon in Brazil's economic garden — averaged under 20 percent a year during this period, and foreign exchange reserves increased almost tenfold. Foreign trade flourished with exports rising sharply to $4 billion in 1972 and $6.2 billion for 1973. In this environment the government scored resounding victories in the November 1972 municipal elections. These impressive results in both the economic and political realms increased Medici's ability to keep the succession process from slipping out of control as it had for Castelo Branco and Costa e Silva. Medici had delegated authority in the military field to Army Minister Orlando Geisel. Hence his younger and more intellectual brother Ernesto Geisel was announced as the government candidate in June 1973. Ratified by the ARENA convention, Geisel was named to the presidency on January 15,1974, by an electoral college composed almost exclusively of the incumbent Congress. The Road Back Under Geisel Brazil had taken half a decade to slide into a fully authoritarian regime under armed forces inclined to the role of longterm rulers, then spent almost an equal period under a repressive government determined to institutionalize this into a permanent system. By 1974 the midnight of military rule had passed, and the next five years would be a reversal of the late 1960s as champions of the military as arbiter outwitted and outfought the entrenched hard-line advocates of indefinite military rule. The new president — in the face of heavy resistance within the armed forces and with only limited understanding and sporadic cooperation from a distrustful civilian opposition — would steer the country through a phase of decompression of the repressive authoritarian regime and set it on the path to political opening (abertura). End of the Economic Miracle, Beginning of Decompression In power after a seven-year hiatus, Castelo Branco's heirs faced serious obstacles in their effort to get Brazil back to where it had been before the fifth institutional act and the Medici administration. Although coming to power in the midst of a continuing economic boom, Geisel was clearly not going to be able to outperform his predecessor in the growth realm. The global energy crisis had already begun during the last quarter of 1973, so the boom was due to moderate, if not end. Instead of an all-out pursuit of economic expansion, Geisel assumed office with a flexible time-
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
table for dismantling the repressive apparatus as it had burgeoned under Medici and for turning the country out of the cul de sac of authoritarianism. Knowing that this would be a long and arduous task — one well beyond the scope of a single presidential term — he provisionally selected his successor at the very beginning, to this end moving Joao Baptista Figueiredo to head the National Intelligence Service (SNI). Although the core of the new government included individuals who had been associated with Castelo Branco, continuity with the Medici government was provided by Planning Minister Joao Paulo dos Reis Velloso (b. 1931), with young economist Mario Henrique Simonsen (b. 1935) as finance minister. The administration's "decompression" (distensdo) project was to a large degree designed in its initial stages to stabilize the regime. In fact, Geisel could not have attempted do more than this, since he would have to work hard to mobilize support within military ranks for even the first steps in diminishing rampant authoritarianism. Encountering the hard-liners well entrenched in the military establishment, becoming leader of the military institution as well as head of government would have to be his first priority if he was to be able to implement the changes he had in mind for legitimatization without loss of control and direction. Geisel's plans foresaw a system of safe competition to be dominated by a strong ARENA with the MDB functioning as a loyal opposition and the far Left isolated. But this opposition was not to be allowed to get out of hand, it would be manipulated by playing on fears of hardline reaction and changing the rules of the electoral game and disciplined if not fully controlled by the continued threat of AI-5. At the center of Geisel's decision to begin decompression was the perception that the effective repression of the violence-oriented opposition during Medici 's term had led to a dangerous degree of autonomy on the part of the security apparatus. This had resulted in a widening gap between centrist to moderately reformist forces in Brazilian society and the military, which they held responsible for human rights abuses. Moreover, since continuation of such vigorous repression was unnecessary, as the guerrilla threat no longer existed, the armed forces were becoming deeply divided over the issue. Yet if he wished to do away with extralegal repressive capabilities, it was necessary for Geisel to demonstrate that he would brook no subversive activity. To this end decompression should go forward sufficiently to justify self-restraint and cooperation with the government on the part of the MDB's responsible elements, but changes should not be allowed to build up their own momentum; the impulse for liberalization must remain channeled, with the initiative firmly in the government's hands. For this strategy to work, major elements of the opposition would have to be willing to accept limited and piecemeal reforms spread out over an
NEWS from BRAZIL - MAY 1996
extended period of time — as well as Ednardo D'Avila Mello of his command tactical detours. Despite repeated setbacks — turning this incident to his advantage. encountered in what he knew from the Temporarily at least, many wavering ofbeginning would be a difficult struggle, ficers reacted against the hard-liners' exGeisel doggedly pushed ahead. This led cesses and rallied to the president's vigorhim at times to behave autocratically to ous leadership initiatives. Yet this also remove obstacles and to resort to authori- appears to have led to a definite drifting tarian measures or risk losing military away from the president on the part of support to the siren songs of the hard-line Army Minister Sylvio Frota. In the November 1976 local elections foes of distensdo. His first step in the political realm w s 18 million votes were cast for ARENA's municipal council candidates compared to to hand-pick governors, who were dul confirmed by state legislatures in Octo- 13 million for the MDB. Yet the opposition elected mayors or a majority of counber. Then Geisel insisted on holding essentially free congressional elections on cilmen in 63 percent of cities over 250,000 November 15. At 35.8 million in a popu- population. The most important impact of lation nearing 105 million, Brazil's elec- these elections was to confirm the government's belief that it could retain torate had grown sharply since 1970, an the turnout of just under 29 mill ion sufficient control of the system at the matched that year's number of registered national and state levels in 1978 with voters. The balloting resulted in a strong ARENA as its vehicle — albeit only comeback by the MDB, which scored a through further tinkering with the elec16-6 victory in the Senate races and elected toral rules. Indeed, 1977 would prove to be criti45 percent of the lower house. The government was more sobered than shaken by cal for the continuation of Brazil's progress this poor showing of its party's senatorial toward less restricted democracy. The candidates, since it retained a decisive 204 problems facing Geisel involved both the to 160 edge in the Chamber of Deputies — succession process and the degree of concompared to its previous 220-90 advan- trol over the military institution required tage — and an even more comfortable to see this through. Frota was moving margin in the upper house, where hold- toward establishing himself as the candiovers gave ARENA 46 seats to MDB's 20, date of the armed forces. Moreover, reFrom the government strategists' point of launching of distensiio was complicated view, opposition gains were healthy in by mediocre performance in the economic realm — exactly the factor that they reflected the rethat had served so effecturn to the normal chantively to ease opposition nels of electoral politics A major lesson during the Medici years. The of alienated elements who Geisel administration had had abstained or nullified of the Medici announced ambitious ecotheir ballots in 1970. To keep this going it was necperiod was how nomic goals shortly after coming to office. Its Secessary to hold out hope to great a degree ond National Development the MDB that it might Plan: 1975-1979 called for eventually win power of acceptance a shift of emphasis to interwithin the existing syscould be mediate and capital goods tem. in order to maintain high The Trials and engendered by growth rates. Yet it was to Tribulations of Geisel's be undermined by the soara repressive Second and Third Years ing price of crude oil and March 1975 saw regovernment the heavy investments resumption of full functionquired by consequent efforts ing of Congress, but in through to reduce Brazil's depenearly May the president sustained dence upon petroleum iminvoked the extraordinary ports. During 1974 probpowers of AI-5 after years economic lems were most evident in of disuse. By the last quartrade; imports more than growth when ter of 1975 hard-line eledoubled — resulting in a ments, particularly in Sao gains were $4.7 billion trade deficit. Paulo, were heating up the Foreign exchange reserves issue of subversion in anloudly dropped and foreign debt swer to opposition efforts proclaimed and rose. GDP growth, in large to focus attention upon part a carryover from dynatorture and violations of costs swept mism of the Medici period, civil liberties. On Octowas 9 percent, and inflation under the ber 25 the death of jourwas edging up to nearly 35 nalist Vladimir Herzog censorship rug. percent. This economic while being interrogated downturn was more noticebrought matters to a head; able during 1975. GDP in spite of the authorities' verdict of suicide, public opinion over- growth fell to 6.1 percent, and inflation whelmingly considered him a victim of leveled off. Although in 1976 GDP growth torture. When a worker accused of distrib- improved to 10.1 percent, inflation jumped uting Communist propaganda died in cus- to 46 percent. But the last years of the tody of a Second Army security unit, Geisel Geisel government would take place in a swiftly relieved personal friend General I deteriorating economic environment as
57
growth fell to 5.4 percent for 1977 and 4.8 percent in 1978 Moreover, inflation remained near 40 percent. A harbinger of problems ahead was the rapid rise of Brazil's foreign debt. Brazil achieved a balance between exports and imports in 1977 and 1978, but the time bomb was ticking, as debt service required a large sustained net capital inflow. Structurally the Brazilian economy of the mid-1970s was substantially changed from that prior to the military's seizure of power. By 1978 agriculture was down to 14 percent of GDP and industry up to 33 percent. Steel production exceeded 9 million tons by 1979, triple that of 1964. The auto industry was up to nearly a million vehicles per year. Electrical generating capacity had doubled between 1964 and 1971 and again by 1978. These changes were reflected in the workforce; by 1978, 20 percent of the economically active population (EAP) were employed in industry, with agriculture down to 36 percent and services up to 40 percent — compared to 14, 60, and 26 percent in 1950. Indeed, during the 1970s industrial employment grew by well over 500,000 a year and jobs in the service area by nearly 900,000 annually. Winning the Succession Battle In early 1977 the regime was faced with finding a way to guarantee an ARENA victory in the next year's national elections while heading off Frota's unwanted presidential candidacy. So Geisel flexed his muscles, placing Congress in temporary recess and decreeing changes in the rules of the electoral game — including a six-year term for his successor. With one senator from each state chosen indirectly, the government was assured of retaining control of that body, reinforcing its majority in the electoral college. These decisive moves, by reaffirming Geisel's determination to keep decompression within the confines he had dictated and to control its pace, contributed to the consolidation of military support necessary for dealing with the succession question. Frota was astutely maneuvered into overplaying his hand and dismissed in October. This was followed by Figueiredo's nomination by ARENA in April 1978. His candidacy was aided by a series of political reforms put through Congress before the elections. These eliminated the most authoritarian features of the political system by replacing the sweeping arbitrary powers of AI-5 with provisions for a state of siege or a state of emergency. Against this backdrop, on October 15 the electoral college ratified Figueiredo, and the selection of governors went off smoothly with the major exception of Sao Paulo, where upstart Paulo Salim Maluf had managed to defeat Geisel's choice at the ARENA convention. With Brazil's electorate up to 46 million in a population of 114 million, nearly 38 million of whom went to the polls on November 15, the government party elected 231 federal deputies to 189 for the opposition. Yet even more than had been the case in 1974, the gross under-
58
representation of populous urban states was crucial to ARENA's comfortable margin of seats; in terms of popular vote, the difference was only 250,000 votes — at a bit over 15 million to 14.8 million in favor of ARENA. The government party also won fifteen of the twenty-three Senate seats at stake (despite the fact that the popular vote for these offices was 57 percent to 43 percent in favor of the MDB); twenty-two others had been filled previously by state electoral colleges with ARENA gaining twenty-one of them. The mixed results were in reality advantageous for the process of political decompression and its transformation into abertura. The electoral vitality of the MDB convinced wavering elements associated with the regime of the need for continuing political reforms, and ARENA's firm control of Congress and state legislatures forestalled any reaction by hard-line elements in the armed forces. A moral victory for opposition elements drew them further into the game of liberalization through elections — the slow and conflict-free road. Thus, following Geisel's year-end revocation of banishment orders against a number of exiles, Figueiredo was inaugurated as constitutional chief executive on March 15, 1979. With AI-5 and its prodigious arbitrary powers now history, distenslio had become abertura — in its first stage still part of a process of liberalization, not yet democratization. By the end of his watershed term Geisel had reduced the regime's reliance upon arbitrary powers by making it far less likely to encounter situations in which their application might seem necessary. The extreme Left — particularly its violence-oriented and maximalist components —was essentially irrelevant from this point on, and the new government would, much as Geisel had done, contain attempts by the radical Right to derail abertura. Figueiredo: Political Opening and Economic Difficulties, 1979-1984 For the first time since 1926 one Brazilian administration was followed by another committed to continuing its policies. Not only did Couto e Silva continue as presidential chief of staff, but Simonsen stayed on though shifted over to planning minister, and former economic czar Delfim Netto took over the Agriculture Ministry This was an administration reflecting all major currents within both the military establishment and the technocratic stratum. As a result of its heterogeneity, it lacked unity and coherence and would require significant personnel changes after the shakedown period. Attention quickly fixed upon the new government's proposal for a broad amnesty which became law at the beginning of September. Two months later reformulation of the party system was approved, resulting in not only the Democratic Social Party (PDS) as ARENA's replacement juxtaposed to the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB), but also the Popular Party (PP), the Brazilian Labor Party (PTB), and the Democratic
Workers Party (PDT). There was only one really new factor on the party scene: the Workers' Party (PT) headed by Sao Paulo metalworkers leader Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (b. 1946). The economic legacy Figueiredo received from Geisel was mixed. GDP growth reached 7.2 percent for 1979, but inflation doubled to 77 percent. In light of the global energy crisis and its heavy impact upon a country so dependent on imported crude oil, Simonsen felt that continued stress on growth would lead to problems. Thus he advocated adjustment to the harsher economic realities, even if this meante corrective recession. Defeated, Simonsen gave way in August 1979 to Delfim Netto and his 30 percent devaluation. Terrorist bombings, largely the work of the extreme Right although blamed on the Left, escalated into the Riocentro incident in May. The public's refusal to swallow a whitewashing of army intelligence contributed to Couto e Silva's decision to resign in August in the face of the president's waffling on the question of a civilian successor versus the ambitions of SNI chief General Octavio Medeiros. Moreover, the economic situation appeared to him to be worsening. Although Brazil's GDP growth in 1980 had been a high 9.2 percent, inflation had also climbed to the 110 percent level. But the full brunt of recession was being felt in 1981 as GDP shrank by 4.5 percent —6.6 percent in per capita terms —and inflation hovered at 95 percent. The Figueiredo government also saw interest payments on foreign debt zoom toward the stratosphere as US policy unleashed a sharp upward rate thrust. By 1980 debt service exploded to $11.3 billion, depleting foreign exchange reserves. Rather than undertake a major adjustment program with its concomitant economic slowdown and consequent political impopularity, Figueiredo chose to persist in a drastically changed context with the policies that seemed to have worked during the early years of his administration. Figueiredo's September 1981 heart attack removed him temporarily from the scene, and in sharp contrast to 1969, the regime's inner core decided to let the civilian vice president take over. In reaction to regime fiddling with electoral legislation, the PP under Tancredo Neves decided to merge with the PMDB. The 1982 Elections and Their Aftermath The November 15 voting constituted an important triumph for moderation and a step toward sensible political modernization. Brazil emerged strengthened by elections whose results encouraged all major political actors to pursue their objectives through normal channels. The PDS won in a majority of states. Excerpt from Brazil: Culture and Politics in a New Industrial Powerhouse by Ronald M. Schneider, 256 pp. Copyright® 1996 by WestviewPress. Reprinted by permission of WestviewPress.
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