Brasil Observer #39 - EN by Brasil Observer

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brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

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brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

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brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

EDITORIAL THE COUNTRY BETRAYED The impeachment of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff is disproportionate to the “responsibility crime” allegedly committed by her. The so-called tax pedalling (i.e. taking money from one basket and putting in other) has been common practice in Brazil for a long time, both by State governments and former presidents (including Lula and Fernando Henrique Cardoso). Such manoeuvres also occur in developed countries such as the United States. Moreover, against Dilma Rousseff there isn’t any charge of corruption. The same cannot be said about those who are judging the elected president, in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, the latter responsible for the final decision of the ongoing impeachment process. Audios recently released showing conversations between leaders of the PMDB (Democratic Movement), party of the interim president Michel Temer, support the thesis that Rousseff ’s suspension is a manoeuvre to stop the Lava Jato operation, investigating corruption. For all that, despite being written in the Constitution, the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff may be called, without astonishment, a ‘kind of soft coup’, in the words of philosopher Noam Chomsky. The military forces, this time, are quiet in their place. But democracy is wounded. It is not the case, however, to consider the PT (Worker Party) and the Dilma Rousseff government itself as victims. The PT governments, including Lula, adopted spurious practices to keep the party in power since they entered the Presidential Palace. Despite the undeniable advances, they made pragmatic alliances in the name of illusory coalition that, in addition to preventing a deeper development of the country, undermined the credibility of the party as driver of progressive forces. The wrong decisions taken by Dilma Rousseff in the economic and political areas made her lose the condition of governing and put Brazil in serious crises – at least two years recession and two digits unemployment. It also allowed a liberal-conservative alliance to take power temporarily. The interim government of Michel Temer has no democratic legitimacy. His political and economic agenda would never be able to win a presidential election. But, as predicted by this newspaper, it has the support of the native mainstream media, excited with the dismantling of the Workers Party era – which, after all, was already completely exhausted. Brazil follows the fate of a betrayed country. Firstly by Europeans before it was called Brazil. Then by the genocide of its indigenous population. By three centuries of slavery that even today leaves its mark on the back of a people beaten daily by a fictitious democracy. Latter by the military dictatorship and the illusory redemocratization that kept the powerful in their places. Now, by a plot that takes the country by storm after four consecutive defeats of the conservative camp in the polls.

CONTENTS JUNE/2016

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OBSERVATIONS Tags: Democracy, Referendum, Ibero-American Art, Pele

GUEST COLUMNISTS Simon Usherwood on the EU referendum Marshall Eakin on the politics of identity in Brazil

INTERVIEW Heurelho Gomes, the goalkeeper

REPORT The world view of Brazil’s interim government

CONECTANDO Voices from Rio Doce, six months after de tragedy-crime

CULT In the cadence of samba: Martinho da Vila and Roberta Sá

CULTURAL TIPS Tags: Theatre, Cinema, Exhibition, Music

COLUNISTAS Franko Figueiredo on what’s culture Heloisa Righetto on feminism

LONDON EDITION Is a montlhy publication of ANAGU UK UM LIMITED founded by

Ana Toledo Operational Director ana@brasilobserver.co.uk Guilherme Reis Editorial Director guilherme@brasilobserver.co.uk Roberta Schwambach Financial Director roberta@brasilobserver.co.uk English Editor Shaun Cumming shaun@investwrite.co.uk Layout and Graphic Design Jean Peixe ultrapeixe@gmail.com Contributors Aquiles Reis Franko Figueiredo Gabriela Lobianco Heloisa Righetto Rosa Bittencourt Wagner de Alcântara Aragão Printer St Clements press (1988 ) Ltd, Stratford, London mohammed.faqir@stclementspress.com 10.000 copies Distribution Emblem Group Ltd. To advertise comercial@brasilobserver.co.uk 020 3015 5043 To subscribe contato@brasiloberver.co.uk To suggest an article and contribute editor@brasilobserver.co.uk Online 074 92 65 31 32 brasilobserver.co.uk issuu.com/brasilobserver facebook.com/brasilobserver

LONDON BY Nathália Braga around Kingston and Hampton Court

BR TRIP Shaun Alexander on Rio 2016 Olympic Games

twitter.com/brasilobserver Brasil Observer is a monthly publication of the ANAGU UK MARKETING E JORNAIS UN LIMITED (company number: 08621487) and is not responsible for the concepts expressed in signed articles. People who do not appear in this expedient are not authorized to speak on behalf of this publication. The contents published in this newspaper may be reproduced if properly credited to the author and to the Brasil Observer.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Cover Art Luis Felipe Camargo www.behance.net/fepefolio

Luis Felipe Camargo, known as Fepe Camargo, was born in SĂŁo Paulo in 1985. Graduated in Fine Arts in 2006, Fepe began his career working as a designer of fabrics prints, illustrating books and magazines, and also as a graphic designer. Taking experimentation as an important part of his creative process, he has worked with ceramics, painting, sculpture, all attached with the drawing practice and the study of the human form. After many exhibitions in Brazil and Europe, now lives in Spain, in search of new opportunities for the expression and evolution of his art. He is currently part of the collective Brazil>World Cocoon Collective.

SUPPORT:

The cover art for this edition was produced by Luis Felipe Camargo for the Mostra BO project developed by the Brasil Observer in partnership with Pigment and with institutional support from the Embassy of Brazil. Each of the 11 editions of this newspaper in 2016 is featuring art on its cover produced by Brazilian artists selected through open call. In December, all of the pieces will be displayed at the Embassyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sala Brasil exhibition.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Observations British MPs condemn the suspension of Brazil’s president Dilma Rousseff; Ambassador Eduardo dos Santos replies

Experts analyse the possible consequences of ‘Brexit’ for the relations between the UK and Latin America

First Ibero-American arts award is launched in London calling for artists to explore the concept of ‘utopia’

The Guardian published on 26 May a manifesto signed by 20 British MPs from the Labour Party, the Scottish National Party and the Plaid Cymru stating “Dilma Rousseff ’s suspension is an insult to democracy in Brazil”. The manifesto says: “We condemn the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil. It is thoroughly wrong that a few parliamentarians trample upon the political will expressed at the ballot box by 54 million Brazilians. The new government has shown its true colours by appointing a non-representative, all-male cabinet and launching neoliberal policies that will hurt millions of working and poorer people. The interim government has no mandate to implement policies that reverse the social programmes that took 40 million people out of poverty. We join Brazil’s progressive political and social movements and groups from across global civil society including the trade union movement, in condemning this attempt to overthrow democracy in Brazil.” The day after, following the guidance of Brazil’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Serra, to combat the view that the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff is a “coup”, the Brazilian Ambassador to the UK, Eduardo dos Santos, defended the process

that led Michel Temer to the interim presidency and said that “democracy in Brazil is alive and well”. The letter written by Eduardo dos Santos and published by the Guardian says: “It needs to be pointed out that the impeachment process strictly complies with the requirements of the Brazilian constitution and the rule of law, under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court. It is incorrect to depict the ongoing process as political manoeuvres taking place against the will of the electorate. Under a democratic presidential regime, the votes received by a president do not prevent the commencement of an impeachment process to assess whether crimes of responsibility have been committed by the head of state. The deputies and senators also received millions of votes and are expected to fulfil their constitutional duties, which include investigating and judging the president if he or she is charged with crimes of responsibility. (..) The Brazilian embassy rejects any allegation that there has been an attempt to overthrow democracy in Brazil, or that the social programmes of recent years could be reversed. Indeed, the acting president has clearly stated his commitment to continuing and improving existing social policies.”

On 23 June the United Kingdom decides in a referendum whether or not it will remain as a member of the European Union (EU). To understand the consequences that a possible ‘Brexit’ would bring to the relationship between the UK and Latin America, the Brasil Observer consulted two experts: Laurance Blair, Research Analyst for Latin America at the Economist Intelligence Unit, and Nacho Morais, CEO of Frank Consulting. Both participate in a debate on the topic at Canning House, on 15 June. “The first thing to say is that a UK exit from the EU is unlikely. And even if ‘Brexit’ were to happen, this would not eliminate British ties to Latin America at a stroke,” said Laurence Blair. For him, however, “an EU exit would certainly set back a lot of progress made in UK-Latin America ties, especially in recent decades, which would be difficult to recover.” The main consequence is commercial. “Through its membership of the EU, Britain has access to free trade agreements with Mexico, Chile, Colombia, and Peru, as well as Economic Partnership Agreements with 15 Caribbean nations, all of which have been painstakingly ne-

gotiated over several decades. These facilitate a significant and growing trade relationship which would be severely disrupted (and maybe even need renegotiating from scratch) in the case of Brexit. In addition, there are signs that EU free trade talks with Mercosur may finally begin to bear fruit. It would be a huge missed opportunity if Britain were to leave the EU just before these deals were signed,” said Laurence. Nacho Morais added that “Latin American companies can sell products with the same specifications across the EU, and can sell services to the whole of the EU from a UK location. The market unity, in the first case, and the access, in the second, are broken in case of Brexit.” Laurence Blair also cited other areas of cooperation between the UK and Latin America that would be affected, such as energy, technology and climate change, because they depend on agreements with the EU. And that the UK would give more diplomatic attention to Europe, giving less priority to Latin America. Nacho Morais recalled that the anti-immigrant rhetoric in favour of ‘Brexit’ may affect the Latin American community living in the UK.

The Embassies of Latin American countries, Spain and Portugal, in collaboration with Itaú Unibanco launched in May the first ever ‘Ibero-American Arts Award’. In an unprecedented exchange between the UK and Latin cultures, the exhibition and award invites all UK-based artists to explore the concept of Utopia in Ibero -American cultures. In 1516, Thomas More published his Utopia. Playing on a pun contained in the neologism ‘utopia’, he had conceived a place that was both ‘good’ and ‘non-existent’. Throughout time, utopian narratives have sought to examine this fundamental tension: whether or not a ‘perfected’ society is possible, or even desirable, to achieve. 500 years on, our participating artists are invited to consider the relevance of the “utopian impulse” to Ibero-American nations, whose intellectual and artistic histories may indeed be seen as a rich tapestry of utopian dreams, projects and debates. The Ibero-American Arts Award is an initiative organized by the Embassy of Brazil and

ACALASP (Association of Cultural Attachés of Latin America, Spain and Portugal), in partnership with People’s Palace Projects, and sponsored by Itaú Unibanco, Latin America’s largest private bank. Renato Lulia, CEO of Itaú BBA International, said: “For over 50 years Itaú Unibanco has been a custodian of Brazilian and Latin American art. We are very pleased to be sponsoring this first Ibero-American Arts Award and in this way further foster the development of Latin-inspired art around the world.” Submissions for the competition, which may include paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography and prints, are now invited from artists living and working in the UK. Participants must be aged 16 or over. Entries can be submitted digitally up until midnight on Sunday 16 October 2016. For further details about the competition and how to enter visit www.iberoamericanartsaward.org

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

REPRODUCTION

A collection with more than two thousand pieces of Pele, the greatest football player of all time, will be auctioned in London this month. The event, organized by Julien’s Auctions, was scheduled for 7, 8 and 9 June. Among the objects are the gold medal won by Pele in the 1958 World Cup and the championship ring of the 1977 American Soccer League. The most expensive piece is a replica of the Jules Rimet trophy: £ 410,000.

KING OF FOOTBALL:

WHO GIVES MORE?

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Guest

Britain’s EU referendum: what’s it all about? The outcome will be important, both for the issue at hand and more generally, because it deals with the UK’s role in the world

Reproduction

On 23 June, the UK will have its third national referendum on whether to remain a member of the European Union (EU). While important, many people are still unsure about what this actually means or what impact it might have. In this article I want to set some of the background, the main arguments and the potential consequences, to help you make sense of things. Prime Minister David Cameron first announced that a referendum was a possibility in a speech in early 2013: he committed to holding a vote should the Conservatives win the 2015 general election, which looked uncertain at the time. However, following their surprising return to power in May of that year, Cameron was locked into a two-stage process of ‘renegotiation and referendum’. Between May 2015 and March 2016, Cameron spent much time working with leaders of other EU member states and with the institutions of the EU itself, to ty and carve out a deal to improve the terms of British membership of the organisation. While he had started out talking of major changes of those terms, written into the treaties themselves, by the time an agreement was finally reached, it contained much more modest political agreements. Of these, the most important was an acknowledgement that the UK has had to deal with exceptional levels of immigration from the EU and so would be able to limit access to welfare benefits to new immigrants for several years. By the time that Cameron produced his ‘new settlement’, the referendum preparation was in full swing, with many groups being set up on both sides to try and win the vote. However, it was only after this point that a definitive date was set, for June. Right now, we are in the middle of the formal, 10-week-long campaign. Groups have been designated as the lead organisations on each side, while the government has allowed its members freedom to campaign on either side, even though official policy remains to keep the UK inside the EU. In common with general elections, there are restrictions on campaign spending, equal and balanced reporting by TV channels and a series of official communications to voters.

By Simon Ushewood g

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

WHO’S WHO?

THE ARGUMENTS

The lead group for the remain side is Britain Stronger in Europe (usually called Stronger In). This is broad group, with members from across the various political parties, business figures and other public personalities. Both Cameron and the Labour party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, have spoken under its barrier. Vote Leave is the official group on the other side. Like Stronger In, it has a membership across political parties and business, although no party leaders. This is because there is a second large leave group, Leave.EU, which is closely linked to the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Its leader, Nigel Farage, has not be keen to join forces with a group that he sees as too close to the political Establishment that his party wishes to challenge beyond the narrow issue of EU membership. Aside from these three groups, there are many other, smaller groups, often campaigning on specific issues or speaking to specific audiences. In a referendum, where everyone’s vote is equally important, this makes sense, because the more groups can tailor their messages and arguments to individual concerns, the more likely they are to have an effect.

Broadly speaking, the arguments tend to fall into economic and political categories. Economically, remain campaigners say that membership has been good for the UK, as it means free access to one of the largest and richest markets in the world, keeping down prices and allowing British companies to grow much bigger than they could otherwise. They point to the many jobs in the UK they say are reliant on continued membership. Leave activists point to the poor economic performance of the EU in recent years and the way in which EU membership limits the UK’s ability to conclude trade deals with new and emerging markets. In addition, they claim that EU regulation holds back British companies, by imposing extra costs on them. Politically, the leave camp talk often about the lack of influence the UK has in the EU, which forces Britain to adopt policies it doesn’t want or need: the EU lacks sufficient democracy and is unreformable, in their view. In addition, membership limits British control of who can enter the country, which is a major concern with the refugee crisis in Europe over the past couple of years.

Remain groups argue that instead that membership is good for British influence and that for the large majority of the time, the UK is on the winning side of decisions. The UK already has a number of opt-outs from key EU activities – the Euro and the Schengen zone of free movement, for example – while still being able to take part on joint decisions to tackle problems that might be beyond any one country to deal with. Naturally, on both sides there is a lot of selective presentation of ‘the facts’, so if you’re looking for a non-partisan perspective, you might try our website (www.ukandeu.ac.uk), where we’ve produced lots of explainers to give a more objective view.

WHY DOES IT MATTER? The outcome of the vote will be important, both for the issue at hand and more generally, because it deals with the UK’s role in the world. If the UK remains an EU member, this will not mean that all of the historic difficulties it has faced will go away. One of the biggest problems has been that the UK has never been very clear about what it wants to achieve in the EU, and this referendum debate is unlikely to change that. However, by putting the membership question to one side, it mi-

ght well allow the British government to make progress on the other issues facing the EU, including improving economic performance, stabilising relations with Russia and tackling climate change. At the same time, it’s also clear that this referendum has tried the patience of other member states, so their willingness to accommodate British objections might not be as big as before. If the UK left, then things are less clear. There would be a process of negotiating a post-membership relationship and that would be central in determining where the UK goes. In essence, the big question will be whether or not to give the UK access to the EU’s single market or not. Access would reduce any disruption to British companies, but would limit freedom to conclude new trade deals. In addition, a vote to leave might well result in Cameron stepping down as Prime Minister, so the Conservative party will need a new leader. The choice they make will be vital in determining the future path of the UK’s relations with the rest of the EU. g

Simon Usherwood is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Surrey and member of the ‘UK in a changing Europe’ programme

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

‘Workers’, by Tarsila do Amaral (1933)

The politics of identity in Brazil A more profound threat generated by the country’s current crisis will be to Brazilians’ sense of self By Marshall Eakin g

Brazil is in the midst of its worst political crisis since the 1960s and possibly its most severe economic downturn in the last 100 years. The economy will not – and cannot – improve until the country emerges from the political chaos of the moment and puts into place strong and legitimate leadership. Most of the commentary on Brazil’s current crisis has focused on politics and economics. I believe that a more profound threat generated by this crisis will be to Brazilians’ sense of self – to their very identity as Brazilians. In my 40 years studying Brazilian history and culture, I have never seen the country more polarized. Over the past decade, I have spent extended periods in Brazil researching and writing “Becoming Brazilians: Race and National Identity in Twentieth-Century Brazil,” which will be published by Cambridge

University Press in 2017. More so than many countries, Brazil has had a powerful and dominant narrative of national identity for decades. But now Brazilians are bitterly divided. One side hates President Dilma Rousseff, ex-President Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, their Workers Party (PT). The other side sees Rousseff ’s impeachment as an abuse of the legislative process by corrupt politicians. Brazil is Latin America’s largest economy, one of its most stable democracies and a growing power on the world stage. Should the current crisis cripple Brazil, it would have serious economic and political repercussions for the region, for the United States, and for the emergence of the so-called Global South. I suspect that the damage to the world’s sixth largest economy will likely be short-term. However, the spectre of politicians – who are

themselves under indictment and investigation for corruption – ousting a president on flimsy charges could damage the fourth largest democracy on the planet for the long term. Brazilian civic culture and national identity could be additional casualties of this deepening political divide. For much of the 20th century Brazilians of all social groups collectively forged a rich and vibrant cultural nationalism around the notion of mestiçagem — racial and cultural mixing. The iconic intellectual Gilberto Freyre (1900-1987) produced the most influential version of this narrative. According to Freyre, “every Brazilian, even the light-skinned fair-haired one, carries with him in his soul, when not in body and soul (…) the shadow, or at least the birthmark, of the Indian or the Negro.”

Many diverse political regimes from the 1930s to the 1980s placed an official seal of government approval on this narrative of mestiçagem. They hoped to publicize Brazil’s supposed “racial democracy” to the world. As I argue in my book, the lived realities of the great masses of Brazilians seemed to provide abundant evidence of the creative power of mestiçagem. Carnaval and Brazilian music like samba and bossa nova arose out of this dynamic mixing. The jazz on the playing pitch of Pelé and other great players produced the world’s most beautiful football. As Brazil moved out of a military dictatorship and to a truly vibrant democracy in the 1980s, many new social movements flourished. The black movement, grassroots feminism, and environmentalism fostered a flowering of civic culture on a scale never experienced in Brazilian history.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Reproduction

Movements promoting Afro-descendant and indigenous rights challenged the dominant narrative of mestiçagem. They condemned Freyre as a racist bent on eliminating the African influences in Brazil. These movements helped forge a new multi-culturalism in Brazilian politics and society. The powerful national narrative of a society with a rainbow of peoples and skin tones has come under sustained assault. Brazil’s last three presidents have promoted decrees and legislation recognizing Brazil’s history of racism and prejudice. The government has promoted many affirmative action programs throughout the bureaucracy and the public education system. The vast majority of Brazilians continue to describe their society and the Brazilian people as mixed. The dominant narrative of cultural identity, however, has been eroding for several decades.

The suspension of Dilma Rousseff from the presidency provided vivid evidence of what may be a looming battle of cultural narratives and civic society. At his hasty inauguration, Vice President Michel Temer, who is of Lebanese descent, surrounded himself with his 22 newly named cabinet ministers. All are male and light skinned. In both his statements about the new administration and his appointments one thing is clear. The officially sanctioned government approval of multiculturalism and the new social movements over the past 20 years will now come under direct assault. Much of the inflamed rhetoric in both houses of congress during the impeachment proceedings demonstrates the resurgence of an unrepentant Right after more than 13 years of PT administrations.

The New York Times quoted Brazilian TV evangelist Silas Malafaia as saying Temer’s new education minister will “be able to sweep away the ideology of pathological leftists.” This resurgent Right may attempt to erase many of the constitutional and legal changes that have supported this multiculturalism. Brazilians could find themselves in an intensifying culture war over what it means to be Brazilian. The emphasis on redressing past social and cultural injustices could end. The political shift could roll back affirmative action and efforts to redress discrimination against peoples of indigenous and African descent. We may see an official return to a narrative of racial democracy. Ultimately, disillusionment with the political system may prove even more damaging than cultural warfare. For several decades

through civic mobilization many groups have asserted their rights to become full-fledged citizens. The example of widespread corruption across all political parties may damage this activism. Deposing Rousseff will not help the legitimacy of the political system for many groups across the political spectrum. Whatever the resolution of the impeachment process, it is likely to set back decades of expanding civic culture and participatory politics. It will leave Brazilians questioning who they are as a people and who they might become. g

Marshall Eakin is Professor of History at Vanderbilt University. This article was originally published at www.theconversation.com

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Interview

Gomes the wall of Watford Brazilian goalkeeper ends the 2015/2016 season on the rise in England, talking exclusively to Brasil Observer

The best goalkeeper in English football is Heurelho Gomes from Brazil. This is not patriotism. According to WhoScored.com, specialising in the in-depth analysis of detailed football data, the player of modest Watford had the best performance of the position in 2015/2016 Premier League. In the words of the WhoScored.com editor-in-chief, Martin Laurence, for his blog in The Guardian website: “While Watford’s season may have ended in a disappointing fashion, they secured their goal of survival with months to spare. No player contributed in a more significant way throughout the campaign than Gomes, who produced more saves than any other goalkeeper in the league (120), boasting the fourth best save success rate of those to make at least 20 appearances (71.6%)”. The most impressive performance of Gomes in the season undoubtedly took

By Guilherme Reis

place on 16 April. Watford was playing away against West Brom and winning by 1-0 when at the minute 67 the referee signalled a penalty for the home team. Saido Berahino shot and Gomes saved. Three minutes to go to the end of match, a new penalty. Saido Berahino shot again and Gomes, the wall of Watford, made a save that secured the win. It was not just a victory. Gomes became the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to save two penalties in the same game twice. The Brazilian player did the same in 2010, playing for Tottenham. At the time, he saved two penalties shot by Darren Bent, from Sunderland. Heurelho Gomes was born in Jao Pinheiro, in Brazil’s State of Minas Gerais, on 15 February 1981. Starting to play professionally for Cruzeiro in 2002, he wore the shirts of PSV (Netherlands), Tottenham (England) and Hoffenheim (Germany) before signing with Watford in 2014. He also made 11 appearances for the Brazilian national team between 2003 and 2011, winning the Confederations Cup in 2005 and 2009. His gallery of titles includes a Brazilian Championship (2003), a Brazil Cup (2003) and four Dutch championships (2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08). Read below the exclusive interview Gomes gave to Brasil Observer.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

BSM2

How do you evaluate the season that has just finished? Watford reached the FA Cup semi-finals and ended the Premier League ranked 13th. Do you feel the team could have done more? The season was very good and we exceeded expectations. A lot of people said we were contenders for relegation. Of course we wanted more, perhaps qualifying for the Europa League, because had been in the classification zone for a few rounds. We could have reached the FA Cup final too. Personally, you end the season on the rise, being called the “king of penalties”. How do you feel making history in the Premier League? Do you do any special training for penalties? It is very important for goalkeepers to be prepared for any situation. I never enter a game wanting to make history. I always think about helping my team. It was an important moment. I’m very calm when I face a penalty and this tranquillity helps me make saves, it is a moment of great concentration, a lot depends on how you are in the game.

I wanted you to talk about your adaptation in England. How to reconcile football life with a wife and children? It was easy. I lived in the Netherlands four years, where there is a very high quality of life, but England and London have much more things to do. My family is completely adapted, my children. Here it’s easy because we train once a day, in the morning, then I am always with my family. You’ve been here for a long time. Do you have contact with other Brazilians playing in England, such as William and Oscar? We meet whenever we can, the boys from Chelsea, Sandro from Queens Park Rangers, and other Brazilians too. It’s very good. It means a lot and I think it makes us fill some lack of our friends who are in Brazil. And off the field, what are your projects?

SAMBA LEGEND

Tu e s d a y 28 June 2016 7.30PM

I don’t do many plans because I work a lot to make things happen now. But I have to start to prepare myself. This year I want to start a coaching course. I don’t know if I will be a coach, but I want to be prepared. A great friend of mine who supports Cruzeiro asked: was that Cruzeiro squad of 2003 the best team you ever had? I can say that, as a whole. PSV had a very good team too. When I arrived, in 2004/2005, we went to the semi-finals of the Champions League. It was a wonderful team. But Cruzeiro’s team of 2003 was complete in terms of achievements, we won everything we played: the Triple Crown in 2003. So I can say it was the best team I’ve played. With so many years in European football, how do you evaluate Brazilian football? And the national team, how do you see the 7-1 loss and the chances of Brazilian football at the Olympics in Rio?

Technically there is no question the quality of Brazilian football, but in terms of organization we are far behind. I do not know what happens, but we do not prioritize the Brazilian fans. The fans get overlooked. Here the first thing they think is the fans. And the TV quotas help teams in financial terms during the season. Unfortunately in Brazil we do not have that yet, the quotas are divided according to the team. Here is more equal. The national team is a special case; it was already running the risk because it is a period of transition. In my view it is a badly managed transition. Usually you do not change all players at once; you start taking one and another, and then put the younger ones. Unfortunately the 7-1 defeat happened, and nothing has been learnt given the last games. Olympics are another case. We never won and I don’t know if we will win, the other teams are very good, but hopefully we will win the gold medal within the country. We have chances, but we are not favourites.

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brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

REPORT José Serra, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs

The world view of the interim government With the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff and the appointment of José Serra for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil’s foreign policy suffers direction changes

Within weeks, the interim Brazil’s President Michel Temer and his team of ministers gave clear statements indicating they intend to put into practice a very different government program than the one that elected President Dilma Rousseff, removed from office as a result of impeachment proceedings. Among the areas in which occur the most significant changes is the foreign policy. The choice of José Serra for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a clear sign of the new paths to be taken in this field. Serra took office on 18 May in a ceremony at the Itamaraty Palace. In his speech, although with references to the importance of Mercosur and the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, China, India and South Africa), he made it clear he intends to give priority to relations with the United States, Europe and Japan. As his party (Brazilian Social Democracy) did in the last three presidential campaigns (2006, 2010 and 2014), the new foreign minister rejected the option of Lula and Dilma governments for greater integration with emerging countries, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. Before that, however, the new minister embraced

By Wagner de Alcântara Aragão

an arduous mission: to achieve the international community’s recognition of Michel Temer government. Brazilian embassies around the world received the Foreign Ministry circular which calls for “actively combat” the allegations that the interim government is actually the result of a political coup.

REGIONAL LEADERSHIP UNDERMINED Inconsistencies in the process that led to the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff have not only been seen as wrong by foreign press, but have also led leaders and international bodies to question the legitimacy of the new government. Evidences that the elected president is being judged primarily by political and partisan criteria – not for constitutional reasons – pose a threat to internal democracy and, by extension, raise questions about the legal and institutional stability of the country. That’s the opinion of the geographer Zeno Crocetti, post-graduated in Geopolitics and professor at the University of Latin American Integration (Unila). “All the casuistry, the mess and manipulations [of the impeachment process] strengthened

the sense of political coup. Only Argentina expressed its ‘respect’. Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Uruguay and Chile gave the expected answer: qualified the Brazilian situation as a coup. In the eyes of the diplomatic game the most important reaction so far was the silence of the United States and Colombia,” said the professor to the Brasil Observer. The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Secretary General, Luis Almagro, and the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), also through its Secretary General, Ernesto Samper, have shown resistance to accept the interim government of Michel Temer. For the professor and political scientist Anthony Pereira, director of the Brazil Institute at King’s College London, these reactions will make it more difficult for the country to exercise its regional leadership in South America. He added to the Brasil Observer, however, that “the impeachment process against Dilma has not been so obviously unconstitutional as to trigger the official condemnation or suspension of Brazil from bodies such as Mercosur, Unasur or the OAS.”

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Jessika Lima/AIG-MRE

MERCOSUR-EUROPEAN UNION In his inaugural speech, José Serra also advocated the implementation of a trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. For Professor Zeno Crocetti, the political and economic situation in South America does not favour the formalization of this agreement. “We had a fragmented and complicated advance of popular governments. With the return of unemployment and inflation, these models began to fall apart, and then began gradual return of reactionary forces to power. If there are no changes in this scenario in the short term I do not see concrete conditions for an EU-Mercosur agreement,” he said. In the opinion of Professor Anthony Pereira, “the hope of the Temer government will be that the new proximity to Argentina will allow Brazil and Argentina to negotiate together and try to finish the longdelayed trade negotiations between the EU and Mercosur.” The last meeting between Mercosur and the European Union took place on 11 May, when the first exchange of tariff offers was carried out, which mainly affects the agricultural products. Anthony Pereira pointed out, however, that “these negotiations have stalled for reasons that go beyond differences between Argentina and Brazil – for example, French interests in protecting their small farmers is still a formidable obstacle to an agreement. So it is not clear whether even now an agreement can be reached.” Undermining Brazilian ambitions, a group of 34 MEPs asked the Commissioner of the European Union’s Foreign Policy, Federica Mogherini, to suspend the negotiations on the agreement with Mercosur. For members of the European Parliament, the trade pact cannot be negotiated by a government without democratic legitimacy, referring to the interim administration of Michel Temer. Until the time of writing, neither Federica Mogherini nor Brazil’s Foreign Ministry had commented.

PRE-SALT FUTURE

FOCUS ON TRADE AGREEMENTS Judging by José Serra inaugural speech as foreign minister, bilateral free trade agreements will be the priority. The new minister condemned the multilateralism that guided the foreign policy of Lula and Dilma administrations. “Brazil, clinging exclusively to them [multilateral negotiations], remained on the margins of the bilateral free trade agreements. We need to recover lost opportunities,” he said. For political scientist Lucas de Aragão, a partner and director of Arko Advice, “Brazilian diplomacy is back to the Foreign Ministry after spending years in the Planalto Palace [official workplace of the President of Brazil].” To the Brazil Observer, he said that “Serra will drive a foreign policy focused on trade and business, leaving aside the ideological foreign policy of the previous governments.” And that “support for the so-called Bolivarian governments will certainly be reduced very strongly.” A similar opinion was given by Rodrigo Scaff, a founding partner of Suriana. “In the past 13 years, the focus of Brazil on the conclusion of new trade agreements was in countries with less representation in the

global context, then I see with optimism the possibility of return to put energy in markets with greater potential for collaboration, such as the European Union and the United States,” he said to this report. “Brazil will continue fighting for a greater integration of its products in foreign markets. There is always the priority in breaking down tariff barriers, especially in agribusiness, but at the same time, the only solid way to gain international competitiveness is to approach structural issues that make our cost to produce very high. We need better infrastructure, more labour flexibility and a more rational tax system, which does not encumber products made in Brazil,” added Rodrigo Scaff. In this sense, the new role of the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brazil) seems essential. “By taking the Apex from the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) and putting it into Itamaraty, the new government seems to be signalling that bilateral trade agreements will be a priority,” said Anthony Pereira. At the time of writing, information indicated that the new president of Apex will be the ambassador Roberto Jaguaribe, who has served in the UK and currently holds the position of Brazilian ambassador to China.

The appointment of José Serra for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rekindled expectations of opening the exploitation of oil reserves in the pre-salt layer to international players. After all, it is authored by Serra himself the bill approved by the Senate in February, which takes from Petrobras the obligation to participate in all exploration as single operator – and with 30% minimum participation. The proposal still needs to be approved by the lower House of Congress, the Chamber of Deputies. For James Green, professor of Latin American history and director of the Initiative Brazil at Brown University in the United States, “it is very clear that the forces that are in favour of impeachment [of Dilma Rousseff] are interested in renegotiating the agreements surrounding the use of the pre-salt royalties that were to be dedicated to education.” “One can only expect that the proposal that Serra presented in the Senate last year regarding the partnerships between Petrobras and foreign companies will reduce Petrobras’ share and increase the possibilities of foreign exploration of Brazilian oil”, he added to the Brazil Observer. Local content rules in the oil and gas sector are also likely to be changed. These laws have already been liberalized in practice somewhat, but this government could go farther. These national content laws are unpopular with multinational corporations that do business in Brazil, because they force the multinationals to find Brazilian partners and order inputs from Brazilian suppliers, thus developing the national industry. As Professor James Green commented, “it’s amazing how an interim government, which may or may not be permanent, has already tried to entirely change Brazil’s foreign policy”.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

CONECTANDO

L Governador Valadares, MG

Voices from Rio Doce More than six months after the dam burst in Bento Rodrigues, no one was held accountable. The local population still suffers the consequences of the tragedy-crime By Eduardo Sá and Morgana Maselli – from Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais

Lack of social participation and sense of injustice. These were the main stories told by those affected by the toxic mud that flooded the Rio Doce (Sweet River) after a dam owned by Vale, Samarco and BHP Billiton in Bento Rodrigues, in Brazil’s State of Minas Gerais, collapsed on 5 November 2015. Complaints and experiences that seek alternatives to the hegemonic development model in the region were presented during the Rio Doce Basin Territorial Convoy, which ran between 11 and 14 April from the river’s source to its mouth on the coast of the Espírito Santo State. Involving around 150 members of social movements, researchers and indigenous, among other sectors, four simultaneous routes met in Governador Valadares to promote a political act and a debate on the situation of the population, six months after the tragedy-crime. According to official data, 20 people died in the tragedy and hundreds were displaced. To date no one has been held accountable and Samarco paid no fines submitted by Ibama (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) and the Federal Public Ministry. The environmental impacts are still unimaginable, with the extinction of several species of local biodiversity, and social damage are dramatic, with thousands of people without having how to secure their livelihood through fishing, agriculture, crafts and tourism, among other sources of income. The mining company is paying a card worth a minimum wage (880 reais) plus a basic basket of food, and a 20% increase per dependent, but not everyone is assisted. This service has generated discord among residents, due to the individual care and demobilization attempts of collective actions of the residents by the company. The convoy, according to its political letter, is a political-pedagogical tool built by the agro ecological movement in Brazil with various organizations, networks and social movements. “These are trips of learning, exchanges, solidarity and political struggle, exercising a set of popular views about the territory, placing contradictions, potentials and challenges to build a new society based on agroecology, in land reform, public health, social economy, women rights, and respect for traditional communities. We seek to give visibility to the complaints, social and environmental conflicts, the strength of experience and autonomy, appreciation of regional and popular culture”, says the document. Now, after the event, it is being prepared a report – with complaints of those affected – that will be sent to international and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International

and Global Justice. According to Eduardo Braga, from the Brazilian Association of Geographers (AGB), the convoy was a moment of unity and convergence of different people and groups of the region around the Samarco tragedy-crime. There were public acts, conversation circles, community experiences, hiking and debates, among other initiatives exercising self-organization and popular communication works. “It was possible to see the importance of the river in the lives of people. This gave us a much more real dimension of the impacts when these stories were told. They kept alive the memory of the crime. Looking forward the biggest challenge is to keep the groups and populations mobilized. After all, the agreement that the company signed with the state was not discussed with the population neither the Foundation created. We have the challenge of communication, to continue the dialogue with these populations. Build the notion of ‘popular surveillance of the territory’, set strategic themes of action and observation, monitor river pollution and to continue the complaints about the impacts,” he said.

INDIGENOUS AND FAMILY AGRICULTURE One of the communities visited by the convoy was the Krenak indigenous village, in Resplendor, Minas Gerais. According to its young leadership, Douglas Krenak, companies and governments are taking the wealth of the territories and leaving only the tragedy. For many years his people has been struggling in defence of the environment, but they are still excluded from spaces created for participation and decisions. “We’re kind of desperate, because the river is a rich source of support for our people. The problem is this uncontrolled creation of dams without the opinion of the people, which is leading to the genocide of traditional communities in the long run. We do not have sewage treatment; it’s all directed to the river. But we must not falter, and we will fight,” he said. For Douglas, there is no point if the company continues its activities and there is no ecological awareness of future generations. “Nature is very generous, but when charging back there is no distinction between rich and poor, black and white. So we have to complain. They want to get people out of the river and reforesting, but the company is still there causing the same problems. While the cancer is not destroyed in the heart of Rio Doce, this will continue,” he declared. In the municipality of Tumiritinga, in the region of the middle Rio Doce,

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Rio Doce Basin Territorial Convoy route 3

‘We cannot drink ore’: act in Governador Valadares

Divulgation

Rio Doce Basin Territorial Convoy route 2

Eva and Luiz: family farming hugely affected

still in Minas Gerais, the convoy visited the property of Luiz and Eva, in Cachoeirinha settlement. The couple has lived in the area for over 20 years and works with agriculture and fish farming. They had six plantations irrigated with water from the Rio Doce and sold production for the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE). Since the dam waste arrived on their property, the production has been drastically reduced. “It ruined everything! All my life I irrigated and now I do not have water. We had six plantations and now there is only one left, we don’t have water for everything,” said Eva. “We had over a meter of waste in our plantation and it affected the fish tanks, we lost more than 6,000 fishes. We used to earn more than eight minimum wages from our production and now we are

just living with the card provided by Samarco. They said we would receive only up to six months. What are we going to do after that?” Luiz asked.

COAST AND TOURISM DEVASTATED The village of Regência, in Linhares, on the Espirito Santo State coast, suffers from environmental devastation. Located at the mouth of the Rio Doce, the city created by a colony of artisanal fishermen and known as one of the best surfing spots in Brazil had its life changed. Residents expect more transparency of the company with reports revealing the impacts, and their error recognized as the dam had signs of leakage. Samarco is paying aid to those affected, as fishermen, seafood restaurants

Fishermen observe the Rio Doce

and merchants. However, some residents have not received anything, they have a steady job and, according to the agreement, they have no needs. Schools and churches are ahead in the struggle, while most of those who are receiving money are in silence. The teacher and nurse Luciana de Souza, 43, has lived there since she was born, and works at the school and the hospital. According to her, it is a process of economic injury and acculturation that is causing people to leave their territory, especially young people, because there is no fishing, surfing and agriculture plan, which are now impractical. “The community was injured in their rights with Petrobras, and now with the mud are all desperate. They want to stay, but do not have another way out. This river is not that of my

childhood, it is absurd that progress can do. They are trying to decimate our lives, culture, way of life, essence, but we will resist. Who has to pay, have to pay,” she said. The village’s economic activities were driven mainly by surfing and environmental tourism, in addition to fishing, which have been dramatically impacted. Throughout the basin of Rio Doce there is great concern with water. The quality of the offered water has been questioned by the population, which during the convoy reported cases of skin and stomach diseases. Moreover, in rural areas, from top to bottom of Rio Doce family farmers have had great difficulties to maintain their production, since the water used for irrigation came from the river, and now it is no longer suitable for the activity.

CONECTANDO is a project developed by Brasil Observer aiming to enhance experiences of ‘glocal’ communication. With universities and social movements, our goal is to bring local content for a global audience. To participate, write to contato@brasilobserver.co.uk

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

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brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

The beautiful cadence In June, London will taste samba with two voices that represent the best of what this rhythm can offer By Guilherme Reis

A very popular Brazilian song (“Samba da minha terra”, by Dorival Caymmi) says those who don’t like samba are not good people, have something bad on their mind or some disease on their feet. But even they would agree: samba is the highest expression of what’s Brazilian. As the poet-singer-song-writer Vinicius de Morais would say, samba is sadness with a swing. Which means: sadness, an inevitable feeling, may be faced with love and grace, with instruments like cavaquinho and pandeiro. Martinho da Vila and Roberta Sá, with concerts scheduled for late June in London, represent the best of what samba can offer: poetry, cadence, and intelligence. In the words of Aquiles Reis, vocalist of the iconic Brazilian band MPB4 and a music critic, “Martinho da Vila has the power of Zumbi dos Palmares”, a leader of the black resistance against slavery in Brazil during the 17 th century, and Roberta Sá is a singer who “was born with the blood of samba circulating through her veins”. Both of them gave an interview for Brasil Observer by e-mail. “I think samba, morna and fado have a intersection point”, said Roberta Sá about her most recent work, the album Delírio, which brings a delicious combination of these musical genres from Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal. “They are very different genres that dialogues with each other. The sonority of Delírio has a lot of this. I started looking for music in a more comprehensive way, in the way I do it and where I want to go with it. Thus I have this desire to play in other continents, to do more this exchange with musicians that add elements to my universe,” she added. Naturally considered a samba singer, Roberta Sá commented: “if you listen, the work of Brazilian artists you will see that samba is present in almost all repertoires.” For her, “even in the more electronic, in the more modern, samba is present. The root is what makes you fly safely. I sing samba because I still think it is, above all, a democratic rhythm. All social classes understand samba, it is a cultural heritage of our country”. Delírio marks the return of Roberta Sá to studio after three years and brings original songs by Adriana Calcanhotto, Moreno Veloso, Rodrigo Maranhão and Cézar Mendes, in addition to participations by Chico Buarque, António Zambujo, Xande de Pilares and Martinho da Vila. “Martinho is a gift”, said Roberta Sá about one of her partners in Delírio. She told that the idea of singing one of his songs came up during a tour when they met each other. On the occasion, Martinho da Vila offered her the song “Amanhã é sábado” (“Tomorrow is Saturday”). For Roberta Sá, it “speaks about women empowerment, about women who now are family chief, business women and arrive at home tired, looking for her beloved”. “Roberta is a great artist and is conquering international audiences”, said Martinho da Vila about Roberta Sá. “We have already shared the stage many times and we are mutual fans”, said the samba master.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

of Martinho da Vila and Roberta Sá

PARENTHESIS FOR MARTINHO DA VILA

Daryan Dornelles

Martinho da Vila is undoubtedly one of the greatest names of Brazilian music. He appeared to the general public at the Record TV Festival in 1967, when he presented “Menina Moça”. On the following year, in the fourth edition of the same festival, he launched the classic “Casa de Bamba”, his first success, followed by “O Pequeno Burguês”. He soon became a renowned artist and won many awards, being a major album seller in Brazil. In 1995, with the album Tá delícia, Tá gostoso, he became the first samba singer to exceed the mark of one million copies sold in record time. Now he is preparing a new album for the second semester. In addition to his music carrer, Martinho da Vila has two other equally important aspects: he is a writer and cultural activist. In 2016, he released his 14th book, the novel Barras, vilas e amores, which came up from his thoughts about politics. Martinho studies International Relations and created the character of an ambassador who tells stories about his travels around the world, including the Vila Isabel neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, which gives his nickname Da Vila. In 2015, he attended the Paris Book Fair, launching Os Lusófonos in French. In previous years, his books Joana e Joanes and Ópera Negra were also translated to French. As a cultural activist, Matinho da Vila promoted this year concerts of Clube do Samba (Samba Club), an initiative created in the late 1970s by João Nogueira, another renowned samba singer, which aimed to boost this music genre in a scenario dominated by foreign music. To the Brasil Observer, Martinho said “we made four commemorative editions to keep alive the memory of this movement that was very important. Other editions are still possible to happen, but depends on sponsorship.”

‘DIRTY LAUNDRY WE WASH AT HOME’

ROBERTA SÁ When 26 June Where Under the Bridge (Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS) Entrance £25 Info www.underthebridge.co.uk

MARTINHO DA VILA

Divulgation

When 28 June Where Barbican Hall (Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS) Entrance £25-45 Info www.barbican.org.uk

Many artists have positioned themselves on the political crisis in Brazil. So I asked the opinion of both. Something annoying, yes, but relevant. Roberta Sá said: “I take great care to talk about it. The feeling is that everyone knows everything about politics now and I think it’s dangerous. The division of the country is clearly seen and, on both sides, there is an over-aggressiveness that doesn’t represent me. We need to review many things, starting with our archaic electoral system. The fortunes of election campaigns elect our representatives in all power ranges. Then keep that political gear running at any price is more important than investing in health, education, culture, sanitation, and housing. I do not understand much of it, but unfortunately I see no solution in the short term.” Martinho da Vila kept it short: “I don’t feel comfortable talking to the international press about the scandalous Brazilian political crises. I am ashamed and follow the popular saying: dirty laundry we wash at home”.

ON STAGE IN LONDON The concerts of Brazilian artists abroad are often quite different from those in Brazil. The audience, in most cases formed by different nationalities, is generally quieter, and the entire focus is directed to the music. What do Martinho da Vila and Roberta Sá think about that? “I think it’s wonderful,” said Roberta Sá. “It is important and delightful the warm from the public, the joy, but it is also essential that other side, know to hear a song and get in touch with other emotions.” For Martinho da Vila, “those who are on stage determine the audience behaviour.” “I want to do a show to be heard, appreciated and interactive. The important thing is to be emotional,” said the singer. It’s not hard to imagine: London will become greater in the beautiful cadence of Martinho da Vila and Roberta Sá.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

TIPS

THEATRE Divulgation

‘Namíbia, Não!’: a Brazilian play in British theatre Namíbia, Não! UK is the English production of a comedy that explores the plight of two black Brazilians following a sudden government decree that all African descendants are to be repatriated to the land of their ancestors, their reaction and its consequences. This is an award winning piece of contemporary drama that will question our preconceived ideas about post-colonialism and our own sense of belonging somewhere. Namíbia, Não! UK exposes British audiences to the work of contemporary cutting -edge Brazilian playwright Aldri Anunciação, thus strengthening the collaborations between Brazilian and British theatre. Prof. Catherine Boyle mentors the translation process and Xavier Roide, known for his work with Placebo and his classic renditions of the work of Tribalhistas and Secos e Molhados is a guest composer and sound designer. The project counts with the support of Franko Figueiredo, co-founder of StoneCrabs Theatre Company, as creative producer. The cast comprises of Femi Oyeniran, famous for his role of Moony in the films Kidulthood and Adulthood by Noel Clarke, and Anyebe Godwin, most recently seen on ITV’s show Autopsy: Last Hours of Notorious B.I.G Sean Smith. Director and translator Almiro Andrade leads the four week development process, in order to bring Anunciação’s script to the British stage with scratch performance taking place at the Soho Theatre Upstairs. Almiro is currently developing his PhD research – Brazilianism: Translation and Adaptation of Contemporary Brazilian Drama through Devised Performance – at King’s College London. He’s also taken an active part in several productions in the UK, working as an actor, a writer/director, most recently as a dramaturge for Franko Figueiredo’s Tieta in 2015. When: 23 June, 7pm Where: Tutu’s King’s College London When: 29 June, 4pm Where: Soho Theatre Upstairs Entrance: Pay what you can event Info: https://goo.gl/iZJEXj

FESTIVAL

Alfredo Volpi: at the crossroads of Brazilian modern art

Samba fever hits Liverpool with Brazilica Festival

Cecilia Brunson Projects brings Volpi: at The Crossroads of Brazilian Modern Art, an exhibition of paintings by Alfredo Volpi (1896 – 1988) curated by Dr Michael Asbury. The presentation is the second in the gallery’s series of shows which aim to introduce London audiences to some of the major figures of modern and contemporary Brazilian art, presented in association with Almeida e Dale Art Gallery, São Paulo. Although set to be a new discovery for most London audiences, Alfredo Volpi is rightly regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th century Brazilian art. A painter whose work articulated popular themes with a sophisticated use of geometry and colour, Volpi stands at the crossroads between the Brazilian modernismo of the 1920s and 30s and the experimental art that would emerge in the late 1950s and 60s. Few artists in Brazil have received such universal acclaim and recognition, demonstrated through multiple retrospectives and books devoted to his work, as well as the legion of ‘volpistas’ who followed and championed his painting during his lifetime. Volpi was considered one of the pillars of Brazilian Modernism, admired by the concrete movement and lauded by the pre-eminent critics of the day Herbert Read and Mário Pedrosa. Although Volpi has exhibited widely since his first solo exhibition in 1944 – participating in an exhibition of Brazilian art which toured the UK at venues that include the Royal Academy (1944), the Venice Biennale, the São Paulo Biennial, in addition to numerous museum exhibitions around the world – this will be Alfredo Volpi’s first solo show in the UK.

Liverpool’s Brazilica Festival is to return for its ninth consecutive year. The main Carnival Day will be held on Saturday 16 July. Derby Square will be the main location. A programme of events is being organised to lead up to the main Carnival Day, while the Brazilian Film Festival will return following its success in 2015. There is also a Brazilica Fringe Festival featuring exhibitions and workshops, with artists visiting from Sao Paulo, and samba performances in Church Street on 16 and 17 July.

When: 11 June to 29 July (Tuesday-Friday: 2-6pm, Saturday: 12-4pm) Where: Cecilia Brunson Projects (Royal Oak Yard, Bermondsey Street) Entrance: Free Info: www.ceciliabrunsonprojects.com

When: 15 to 17 July Where: Venues across Liverpool Entrance: Free Info: www.brazilicafestival.co.uk

David Munn

EXHIBITION

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

CINEMA

MUSIC

‘Embrace of the Serpent’: a journey through the Amazon

Bixiga 70

Directed by Ciro Guerra, Embrace of the Serpent is an extraordinary spiritual journey through the heart of the Colombian Amazon. A German scientist arrives in the Amazon in 1909 and is guided by Karamakate, a tribal shaman, in his search for the sacred, psychedelic yakruna plant. Decades later, an American scientist repeats his quest, led by the same, but much-changed shaman. Although based on the journals of two real-life explorers, Guerra’s Oscar-nominated film is seen through Karamakate’s eyes as we witness the corrosive effects of colonialism on his traditions and on the environment to which he’s inextricably linked. The beautiful black and white cinematography mesmerises throughout, as do the fine performances. A truly poetic cinematic experience. When: From 10 June Where: Cinemas across the UK Entrance: Depends on the venue Info: www.peccapics.com

Following their sold out UK debut at Rich Mix in January, Bixiga 70 make a swift return to London with a ground-breaking fusion of African and South American rhythms and sounds. Brazilian instrumental music to dance.

When: 23 June Where: Scala (275 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9NL) Entrance: £15 advance Info: www.scala.co.uk

Eliane Elias Brazilian pianist Eliane Elias plays at Ronnie Scott’s with the band Steps Ahead, featuring the great musicians Mike Mainieri (vibraphone), Donny McCaslin (saxophone), Marc Johnson (bass) and Billy Kilson (drums).

When: 4-6 July Where: Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club (47 Frith Street, London W1D 4HT) Entrance: £35-55 Info: www.ronniescotts.co.uk

Hermeto Pascoal Divulgation

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal is a towering figure in Brazilian music. He performs with his all-star British ensemble conducted by Jovino Santos Neto in celebration of his 80th birthday year.

When: 9 July Where: Barbican Hall (Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS) Entrance: £15-35 plus booking fee Info: www.barbican.org.uk

João Donato + Janis Siegel + Diego Figueiredo Three generations of musicians find a meeting point between American Jazz and Brazilian music, performing material from the career of pianist João Donato, and standards from the Bossa Nova back catalogue.

When: 10 July Where: Barbican Hall (Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS) Entrance: £15-30 plus booking fee Info: www.barbican.org.uk

Emicida Divulgation

His first tracks were created on a tiny keyboard and recorded to a tape deck, and he first rose to prominence through rap battle videos uploaded to YouTube. Now, Emicida is one of Brazil’s biggest rappers. Experience his Hip -Hop at this year’s Walthamstow Garden Party (16-17 July). When: To be confirmed Where: Walthamstow Lloyd Park Entrance: Free Info: www.walthamstowgardenparty.com

Dom La Nena Cineclub Brazil: ‘Batguano’ and ‘The Dead Girl’s Feast’ The Cultural Section of the Embassy of Brazil in London, in partnership with Dirty Movies (www.dirtymovies.org), presents a season of “the dirtiest Brazilian films from the past 10 years”. A ‘dirty movie’ is not an ordinary movie: it challenges and breaks conventions. This season will combine five screenings, with introductions, talks and a roundtable, supported by 14 reviews and two articles written specifically for the occasion. The first screening will kick off on 8 June with Batguano, directed by Tavinho Teixeira, which shows Batman and Robin struggling to survive in an apocalyptic third world. On 22 June, it’s time for The Dead Girl’s Fest, directed by Matheus Nachtergaele, a story around a celebration in a small riverside community in the upper part of the Negro River. Each screening will be introduced by Victor Fraga (Dirty Movies). When: 8 and 22 June, both 6.30pm Where: Embassy of Brazil in London (14-16 Cockspur Street) Entrance: Free (RSVP to culturalbrazil.rsvp@gmail.com) Info: www.londres.itamaraty.gov.br

Brazilian singer-songwriter Dom La Nena has broken international ground with her exciting multi-lingual new album Soyo, released in the UK in 2015. Her next concert in the UK is part of Womed Festival (28-31 July).

When: To be confirmed Where: Womad Festival, Charlton Park Entrance: £175 weekend ticket Info: www.womad.co.uk

O Rappa After the enormous success of last year’s show in the English capital, the Brazilian band O Rappa is coming back to London. The band will return to play more songs of their latest album Nunca Tem Fim.

When: 13 August Where: Electric Brixton (Town Hall Parade, London SW2 1RJ) Entrance: £25 plus booking fee Info: www.electricbrixton.uk.com

Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica The São Paulo Jazz Symphony joins Marin Alsop and the city’s symphony orchestra for a Late Night Prom exploring Brazilian popular music.

When: 24 August Where: Royal Albert Hall Entrance: £7.50 to £25 Info: www.royalalberthall.com

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Columnists FRANKO FIGUEIREDO

What’s culture? Culture is built on hunger – people hungry for something to mitigate the drudgery of their day-to-day

Franko Figueiredo is artistic director and associate producer of StoneCrabs Theatre Company

Sitting at a café in central London, I could not help eavesdropping on the conversations around me. On the table to the left, there were two gentlemen discussing their latest discoveries on TV, to the right was a young couple talking about a theatre play. And behind me there were two young men discussing books and music gigs, and one turned to the other and asked: “Culturally speaking, what is happening to Brazil? Aside Bossa Nova, Carnival, Paulo Coelho and Criolo, what does Brazil offer to the international cultural landscape?” The other young man took a long breath and said “I don’t think there is much happening actually. Brazil doesn’t invest in popular or any other culture properly”. That question stayed with me. Culture is all around us, though we may not realise, it forms a big part of our lives and influences us in many different ways; it shapes our current world, from high street fashion to TV commercials, from the crisps you eat to the places you visit. Culture, in keeping with the original meaning of the word, is something that’s cultured over a period of time. It is not solid or definable. It is organic, so it is not measured in numbers and sizes and so on. We create it, we consume it. Culture infiltrates our lives in unimaginable ways. It changes our behaviours. Take Shakespeare’s language, for instance, there are so many expressions we use in English and other languages that came from his writing; Yve Klein’s blue colour created in the 1960s gave rise to a range of new shades; jeans were made popular by actors like James Dean in the 1950s; the 1970s cultural liberation needs no explaining on its impact on the world. We can live and breathe culture, but whose culture? I actually believe that Brazil, however slowly, was beginning to move from peripheries of global culture conversation, to become active players in a wider exchange. Indeed, there needs to be more investment in culture if we want to break through international boundaries. Unfortunately, the artists that do manage to make it are either from economic elite or benefit from their financial support. “Public life without arts and culture will be much poorer”, says the Arts Council of England, who is also going through massive cuts from the current austerity measures. “The arts are integral to all our lives – they give us the pleasure and the opportunity for self-expression. They also bring social and economic benefits to our communities and our nation.” But how can we see the intrinsic value of arts if half of the population can barely afford to eat? I believe in being fed both physically and spiritually, and the arts provide for the latter. We need to find the balance between one and the other. We are culture and we need to allow our true selves to come through the arts. Arts creates our identity, makes us who we are. Forget facts and figures. Culture is not

accountancy. Culture, like the urge to find culture, is built on hunger – people hungry for something to mitigate the drudgery of their day-to-day, to express themselves or simply to do what they like to do. The bureaucratic, neo-liberal people in power are too blind to see how important culture is for a country’s wellbeing. Perhaps they are just too greedy, taking as much as they can now, and only leaving the bare bones for the next generation. Everything nowadays must be for profit. We can’t seem to be able to invest in something if it doesn’t wield big financial returns. In Britain, up and down the country, we see very little risk taking, with culture houses only producing safe box office projects. Little risk equals little investment which in turn equals dead culture. The current systems value appearance and profit more than morals and ethics. It is blatantly and almost literally displayed with governmental behaviour within the British parliament, we were all aghast at Mr Cameron’s comments over what Mr Corbyn was wearing for a Commons’ debate. And in the Brazilian Congress we have witnessed much worse. What this shows is that lack of culture produces arrogant people and politicians that have little or no regard for the humanity of the other; parliaments and congresses ought to be the podium where dialogue and respect are most valued, but no, we see the opposite... And it is not a question of education; it is lack of culture, lack of ethics and morals that provoke such animalistic behaviour in the politicians of today. Unfortunately, they are our mirror. Having said that, I have witnessed a change already happening in some places, for instance, Greece which has suffered a massive economic crisis, has not stopped investing in culture. Even in Dubai, a country in the 1990s known for very little cultural options, is now a place where you can witness fish market porters giving up weekends and evenings to invite the general public into their workplace to watch films, talk ideas and drink tea – usually without charge because it is financed by the local government. Simply put, the against-all-odds desire of people to keep themselves not only entertained, but engaged in a debate that is focussed on bringing equality and humanity to flourish in the world is the true meaning of culture. I remain positive as I hear newly appointed London Mayor Sadiq Khan state that “culture is the DNA of our city, it is the glue that binds us together” and adding that he will prioritise the arts, hopefully others will follow suit. I believe we are heading towards that goal; we just need to improve how we invest our time and money. Perhaps next time I am eavesdropping on a conversation at a local café, I’ll hear a different response to the question: “where is Brazil in the international cultural landscape?” Perhaps the question won’t even come up.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

HELOISA RIGHETTO

How I found out I was a feminist I am a feminist since my very first sexist memory, but it took a while to understand what this means

Heloisa Righetto is a journalist and writes about feminism (@helorighetto – facebook.com/conexãofeminista)

“Oh, she’s talking about feminism again”. I’m pretty sure that’s what everyone thinks when they read or listen to my feminist rants, my criticism towards patriarchy (another word that makes people roll their eyes) and my requests about taking part in campaigns. They probably think it’s just a phase, a temporary obsession. But for me, and I believe this also applies to most feminists that are activists, feminism is not a fling. Feminism is the closest thing to religion that I will ever experience. It’s a cause I will embrace as long as I live and, if I’m capable, contribute to its legacy. I didn’t wake up one day and decided I was a feminist. It wasn’t a sudden revelation. It was something I started exploring little by little. With friends’ support and online campaigns spearheaded by women that have become key leaders in the feminist movement, I realised I have always been ‘one of them’. I am a feminist since my very first sexist memory, but it took a while to understand what this means. The Everyday Sexism Project was essential to my feminist journey. It’s a website (which turned into a book) where women share experiences of sexism. Things that me and many women used to see as part of everyday life. Things that we got used to because we thought they came with the ‘being a women’ package. For a few weeks I browsed the website daily (which is still updated and has been translated to several languages) to read the stories. So I decided to share my experiences as well, and it was sad to realise that my very first childhood memory is also a sexist memory. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I spent the new year celebrations with my family. Not only

my parents and sister but also cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Nothing beats the fun of big family gathering, am I right? Fun and sexist. I clearly remember new year’s day, after celebrations on the night before and the traditional lunch of January 1st, all women of the family went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and clean up the mess. And where were the men? Drinking. Sleeping. Chatting. I remember the year my eldest cousin was summoned to help, and it got me thinking: when will be my turn? After I shared this on The Everyday Sexism Project website, many other memories popped up and I started remembering experiences that I had suppressed for years. Like the time I was harassed on the street. Alone, or alongside my sister and my friends, and even with my mother by my side. That’s what happens when you take off the sexist veil that blurs our view: you see how it is embedded in society and everyday life. I started to search for similar campaigns and to talk about the issue with my closest friends. I have to admit I wasn’t surprised to learn that they all had similar experiences, and just like me they wiped out harassment (on the streets, at work, in public areas, at school) from their minds, after all they were never told this was a problem. They just dealt with it. But they shouldn’t. I am a privileged woman (white, middle class, educated, straight and cisgender) and I no longer want to just ‘deal with it’. I started to question. If I have to face sexism on a daily basis, I wonder how bad it is for less privileged women? Black women. Disabled women. Transgender women. I wonder how women live with sexism in countries that we all know are oppressive. Worse: how is it for women living in refugee camps? Women need to have their voices heard. And feminism is here to do this. To show the world how women still suffer with violence, harassment and oppression just because they are women. The more we talk about this, the more people will listen. Shall we battle?

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

LONDON BY

Kingston and Hampton Court

Nathรกlia Braga

Perfect combo:

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

Tranquillity, green spaces, and houses by the River Thames: the scenery is so therapeutic that it seems out of London By Nathália Braga g

One of the things I like the most about London is that you always have a new place to go. Even after four years living in the city, I still go around exploring a different region – and always come back home with the feeling of having made a trip that day. My last adventure was at one of the four royal boroughs in the British capital, Kingston Upon Thames, in southwest London. Tranquility, green spaces and houses by the River Thames: the setting offers a real therapy, something quite different from the hectic pace of central London. And getting there is easy: 30 minutes by train departing from Waterloo Station. The South West trains are perhaps the most comfortable in the city, and along the way you can hear conversations in the very posh style – the most British of accents! Leaving Kingston station, head towards the Old London Road to see one of the local postcard pictures: the art installation Out of Order, popularly known as the telephone cabins tumbled over each other. The work was done by David Mach and the twelve cabins were placed there in 1989. In 2001, it passed through a renovation and since that it remains intact, with no graffiti, and many tourists around taking pictures. After seeing the cabins, it’s time to explore the other side of the small centre. Walk towards the Thames to pass through the Ancient Market Place, which works in a very charming square every day of the week from 10am to 5pm. Take your time around there watching the stalls and discovering the diversity of international cuisine. How about a famous English pie? Or a delicious Moroccan wrap? Do you prefer a sushi or French food? No problem. There is food for all, and stalls with fruit, vegetables, fish and breads. But if you want a lunch with amazing views, resist the temptations of the market and go to the High Street. There you will find several restaurants, some with shy facade, but make no mistake: most have outdoor area on the edge of the River Thames. Stein’s Kingston drew attention to the small queue at the door and the small wait was worth it: delicious food and German beer. g

While looking at the river and admiring the beauty of the place, you probably will realize that you are in the middle of your day, which can continue around Kingston Upon Thames region or may be extended to the Hampton Court Palace. If you choose the second option, you will not regret it!

HAMPTON COURT PALACE Taking a bus or walking for about 40 minutes are some of the ways to get to Hampton Court Palace from Kingston Upon Thames. But even better is to enjoy the boat ride, which lasts about 20 minutes. If weather helps it will be the highlight of the day. The return ticket costs £8 – £6.50 one way. The boats run up to a certain time, generally stop the early evening. If you want to stay late, buy one-way ticket. And do not worry about how to get home, because the train station of Hampton Court is just minutes from the palace and from there you get trains back to Waterloo Station. But believe me when I say the last thing you will think about is going home! A visit to Hampton Court Palace is worth every penny of the £21 you pay to enter (£19 without the donation rate). The outside area is already impressive, but there is much more to see. Explore the interior of the palace, which served as a residence for King Henry VIII, but allow enough time to visit the gardens, plus a little time to try to find the exit of the famous labyrinth of the palace. Take a map and be sure to visit The Great Fountain Garden, which seems to have been taken from a fairy tale. In the spring time, flowers leave the garden very colourful. Walk through the gardens to reach the vine that was planted in 1768 especially for King Henry VII and has entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest vine in the world. After the visit, the feeling is you don’t want to go back home. Walk along the river, sit on the lawn outdoors or go to a local pub to end the tour in this place so quiet that don’t seem to be so close to central London. Nathália Braga is a journalist, works in digital marketing and has lived in London since 2012. In her blog Lar Doce Londres (which means Home Sweet London – www.lardocelondres. com), she writes about life in the British capital, its stories and everything included in the package: challenges, travel, culture, career and family.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

BR TRIP

Rio 2016: no climate in Brazil for Olympics? Shaun Alexander takes his chance to run with the Rio 2016 Olympic Torch while it passes him in Vitória, Espírito Santo

The Rio 2016 Olympics is almost here! Brazil. Surely it will be the greatest Olympic Games ever to have happened? Following the runaway success of the World Cup... right!? Perhaps, but let’s slow down. In 2012, I was living in London. Olympic fever had struck, and the torch was about to come by my offices at Bank. I thought bad to go out for a skive, but then everyone in the entire office did. It was a huge event, and the streets were lined with thousands of tie-clad office workers wanting a glimpse of the thing. It was about to be broadcast to hundreds of millions of people around the world, after all. Skip forward to 2016, Brazil. I went out to see the Olympic torch here too. How could I miss it? I am a foreigner so can put aside everything else and focus on the sporting spectacle. However, truth be told, there is far less enthusiasm in Brazil for the Olympics than there was in London. The reasons for this lack of enthusiasm are many, but mostly, the country’s politicians have let the people down in a bad way. Public trust is gone because, as has now been proven, so much public money has been stolen through bribe schemes for over-charged infrastructure projects. It’s almost guaranteed the Olympic construction works are no different. The betrayal of Brazil’s politicians has gone far beyond that, though. The government has been totally frozen, dozens of individuals involved should definitely be in jail, while President Dilma - largely with her hands tied by a house of corrupt Deputies has been impeached for made-up crimes. Many call it a coup. Perhaps worse than that, if we look at Rio specifically, many of the promises the city’s administrators made to the Olympic Committee to secure the games are not going to be met. Many of these promises would have bettered the life of people in Rio. For example, Guanabara Bay was to be cleaned up through the construction of sewerage plants, cleaning up the heavily polluted waterways of the whole Rio area. Not done - and the Rio government threw the towel in on this project as long as a year ago. In London 2012, the talk was about being ready on time for the Olympics. Would it, wouldn’t it be? It was and, to be honest, I think Rio will be too. That’s not in question. The betrayal of Brazil’s government against its people across far too many fronts to possibly go into detail in this column are the reason why, as many Brazilians tell me, this is simply not the climate for Brazil to host an Olympics.

I probe further. Brazil will have to be fake to the world. If it appears fine and well, people around the world should know things are definitely not fine. The recession has crippled the economy, the population is totally divided about political ideas and, it has to put on a smile. This was supposed to be Brazil’s arrival on the big world stage. The stand-in President, Michel Temer, who the world will see in the stands probably hosting world leaders in this function, many Brazilians see as illegitimate. Frankly, many will see his presence on that world stage as an affront to their democracy. The Olympics, therefore, will be something for the gringos to enjoy - which many will, perhaps ignorant of the problems faced by the host country. It doesn’t seem fair, really. There was one thing about seeing the Olympic torch up close in the flesh that gave me hope. Lining the streets, greeting the torch runner with chants, shouting and excited laughing were hundreds of children. These school kids are innocent and, perhaps even oblivious to the problems faced in Brazil. That is absolutely a good thing. They can see the Olympics for what it is: an exciting sports event happening in their home country. Their local Brazilian athletes will be performing for them and, who knows, perhaps they can become sporting heroes one day too? This is what the Olympics should be about. The future generations will remember this forever and aspire to emulate their Brazilian Olympians. But as I say in my YouTube vlog, weeks before the event itself, those who can put aside the problems Brazil faces will start to focus on the greatest sporting event in the world for exactly that and will remember it for that alone. Something that shouldn’t be in any doubt: Brazilians will always greet foreign guests to the country with a smile, a warm hug and a huge party, regardless of what is happening in their own personal lives. If you’re coming to the games from abroad, be assured - you will have the time of your life at the event. Rio de Janeiro is one of my favourite cities in the world and you - I absolutely promise - will love it. Come with an open mind and heart and let Brazil infect you. In case you are wondering, the athlete carrying the torch in my video and pictures is called Alison. He’s a local favourite here in Espirito Santo state - a beach volleyball player with a real chance at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Good luck to him and the rest of Team Brazil when things get down to it in August 2016.

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

ReproduĂ§ĂŁo

Personal archive

If you would like to see the video of me running with the torch, or more vlogs from Brazil, go to www.youtube.com/ShaunVlog

brasilobserver.co.uk | June 2016

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