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For anyone trying to understand what's happening in Brazil and Venezuela, read about Foro de Sao Paulo [1], a socialist collective that is influencing politics

For anyone trying to understand what's happening in Brazil and Venezuela, read about Foro de Sao Paulo [1], a socialist collective that is influencing politics since 1990. Their leaders led Latin-American countries to social and economical disasters and now are facing impeachment or being replaced. The Kirchner family of Argentina were the first to fall after twelve years in power [2]. In Brazil, Dilma is standing the last phase of the impeachment trial after her party stood 14 years in power [3]. Maduro is trying everything to avoid to face a referendum that will get him removed from power [4]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foro_de_São_Paulo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foro_de_São_Paulo [2] http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/argentinas-kirchner-era-ends http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/argentinas-kirchner-... [3] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-04/brazil-committee-votes-for-rousseff-final-impeachment-trial http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-04/brazil-com... [4] http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36523986 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36523986

aaron-lebo 10y ago
It's also interesting that this coincides with a lot of other government regimes - Clintonism, Blairism, Putinism, etc. The general structure of the world has been pretty similar since the 1990s, and as the years wear on we are finding out more and more how bankrupt both intellectually and morally it has been.
molmalo 10y ago
To be fair, they got in power mainly because of the economical disasters generated by the neo-liberal governments in the nineties and early 2000's. Argentina was led to the worst crisis in its history. So, most people here are really tired of the political class, both left and right being perceived as equally corrupt. Yes, there are fanatical groups that support one or the other, but the vast majority just vote for the lesser evil... Kind of like how some people who I've talked to feel right now in the US, having to choose between Hillary and Trump...
- ucaetano 10y ago
  That's exactly the opposite of the history in Brazil. In the 8 years before PT took power, the country finally had stable economics, decreasing unemployment and increasing income levels.
  - forinti 10y ago
    The previous government had unemployment of 8.3% in its first year and 11.7% in its last year (and 12% inflation). PT was voted into power for a reason.
    - ucaetano 10y ago
      But compare that to the years before the government.
      - forinti 10y ago
        It was lower. The 1990's were not nice. https://brasilfatosedados.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/desemprego-evolucao1986-2010-2/ https://brasilfatosedados.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/desempreg...
    - woliveirajr 10y ago
      More than that. Try were voted for miraculous promises, took advantage of increased prices of commodities, and gave money in popular programs. Then lied about unemployment by changing criteria, kept controlled prices at popular levels against a long term development, and when this came out (like petrobras huge debt, and all money laundry), some people began to shout that it was "a coup", that all parties also stealed money and so PT shouldn't be punished etc.

aaron-lebo 10y ago

It's also interesting that this coincides with a lot of other government regimes - Clintonism, Blairism, Putinism, etc. The general structure of the world has been pretty similar since the 1990s, and as the years wear on we are finding out more and more how bankrupt both intellectually and morally it has been.

molmalo 10y ago

To be fair, they got in power mainly because of the economical disasters generated by the neo-liberal governments in the nineties and early 2000's. Argentina was led to the worst crisis in its history. So, most people here are really tired of the political class, both left and right being perceived as equally corrupt. Yes, there are fanatical groups that support one or the other, but the vast majority just vote for the lesser evil... Kind of like how some people who I've talked to feel right now in the US, having to choose between Hillary and Trump...

ucaetano 10y ago
That's exactly the opposite of the history in Brazil. In the 8 years before PT took power, the country finally had stable economics, decreasing unemployment and increasing income levels.
- forinti 10y ago
  The previous government had unemployment of 8.3% in its first year and 11.7% in its last year (and 12% inflation). PT was voted into power for a reason.
  - ucaetano 10y ago
    But compare that to the years before the government.
    - forinti 10y ago
      It was lower. The 1990's were not nice. https://brasilfatosedados.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/desemprego-evolucao1986-2010-2/ https://brasilfatosedados.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/desempreg...
  - woliveirajr 10y ago
    More than that. Try were voted for miraculous promises, took advantage of increased prices of commodities, and gave money in popular programs. Then lied about unemployment by changing criteria, kept controlled prices at popular levels against a long term development, and when this came out (like petrobras huge debt, and all money laundry), some people began to shout that it was "a coup", that all parties also stealed money and so PT shouldn't be punished etc.