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How free do people feel to speak up against corruption? Like could they go public on Twitter/X and call out the issues they see? Or would they face legal retrib

How free do people feel to speak up against corruption? Like could they go public on Twitter/X and call out the issues they see? Or would they face legal retribution or physical violence?

dudus 2y ago
Freedom of expression is guaranteed in Brazil. In general people feel free to speak and that hasn't changed. What has become a crime is the spread of misinformation in the form of fake news. For the most part these are still legislated fairly IMHO. But the precedent feels a bit dangerous
- matheusmoreira 2y ago
  There are zero laws against "fake news" currently in effect in Brazil. One was proposed and Google even campaigned against it but it has yet to pass.
luizcdc 2y ago
It really depends. Locally, factions like criminal associations and retired cops mafias (militias), who always have city councelors and mayors in their pockets, may retaliate if someone with an audience is being too annoying (see Marielle Franco's case). Nationally, not all politicians enjoy any protection from the supreme court against critiscism, only the best connected ones and the supreme court itself. Recently, a former YouTuber who lost all his social accounts and had to self-exile to the US for some disrespectful comments against the supreme court was sentenced to 1.5 years in jail for calling the newest supreme court judge a "fatty". Except for the supreme court itself, the average Brazilian can voice their concerns and speak up against corruption with very low chances of repercussions if they don't display wholly anti-democratic discourse, like wishing the military to execute a coup.
- rbanffy 2y ago
  > a former YouTuber Remember he also committed the crime, live, on YouTube, of advocating for the creation of a Nazi party.
  - matheusmoreira 2y ago
    Thought crime, huh. He merely observed that the extreme left has a lot more space in politics than the extreme right. Why is it that nazism is banned while we have so many literal proud self-admitted socialists and communists in this country who not only walk this soil completely unpunished but also form organized parties, get elected, get appointed to the supreme court? The judge who held him guilty for calling him a "fatty" is the perfect example of one. Anti-nazism laws are unconstitutional. Constitution says that "any and all" censorship of political nature is prohibited. Nazism is a political party. Therefore censorship of nazism is prohibited. It's that simple. So why is it that nazism is literal thought crime while socialism and communism, far more harmful ideologies, are allowed to flourish with complete impunity? If they're gonna ban nazis, I demand that they also ban communists and socialists. It should be a literal thought crime to advocate for anything related to that nonsense. And any form of socialist organization should get all involved sent straight to jail. That's the point that was made. Allowing that crap while simultaneously banning nazism is a contradiction. His only "crime" here was trying to resolve the contradiction by arguing that nazis should be allowed to organize. That's not what we really want. What we actually want is these socialists and communists in jail.
    - rbanffy 2y ago
      > Anti-nazism laws are unconstitutional. Constitution says that "any and all" censorship of political nature is prohibited. Nazism is a political party. Therefore censorship of nazism is prohibited. It's that simple. There’s no censorship. You are allowed to say your mind and nobody can prevent you from doing it. Freedom to do something doesn’t imply impunity for committing crimes in the process of expressing your political beliefs. > the extreme left Brazil had a far-right president for four years. There’s zero far-left in mainstream politics in Brazil, unless you slide the Overton window so far to the right social democrats (such as PT) looks far-left and Bolsonaro looks like a moderate right-winger.
- vitorgrs 2y ago
  About the "fatty" one... This is more how richer/powerful people have more resources to sue. The case would be a clearly win for everyone who sue it. Brazil's penal code criminalize any "Injury" and "defemation" > Art. 139 - To defame someone, attributing to them a fact that is offensive to their reputation: > Penalty - detention from three months to one year, and a fine. > Art. 140 - To insult someone, offending their dignity or decency: > Penalty - detention from one to six months, or a fine.
HideousKojima 2y ago
See the recent spat between the Brazilian supreme court and Twitter for your answer there

How free do people feel to speak up against corruption? Like could they go public on Twitter/X and call out the issues they see? Or would they face legal retribution or physical violence?

dudus 2y ago

Freedom of expression is guaranteed in Brazil. In general people feel free to speak and that hasn't changed. What has become a crime is the spread of misinformation in the form of fake news. For the most part these are still legislated fairly IMHO. But the precedent feels a bit dangerous

matheusmoreira 2y ago
There are zero laws against "fake news" currently in effect in Brazil. One was proposed and Google even campaigned against it but it has yet to pass.

luizcdc 2y ago

It really depends. Locally, factions like criminal associations and retired cops mafias (militias), who always have city councelors and mayors in their pockets, may retaliate if someone with an audience is being too annoying (see Marielle Franco's case). Nationally, not all politicians enjoy any protection from the supreme court against critiscism, only the best connected ones and the supreme court itself. Recently, a former YouTuber who lost all his social accounts and had to self-exile to the US for some disrespectful comments against the supreme court was sentenced to 1.5 years in jail for calling the newest supreme court judge a "fatty". Except for the supreme court itself, the average Brazilian can voice their concerns and speak up against corruption with very low chances of repercussions if they don't display wholly anti-democratic discourse, like wishing the military to execute a coup.

rbanffy 2y ago
> a former YouTuber Remember he also committed the crime, live, on YouTube, of advocating for the creation of a Nazi party.
- matheusmoreira 2y ago
  Thought crime, huh. He merely observed that the extreme left has a lot more space in politics than the extreme right. Why is it that nazism is banned while we have so many literal proud self-admitted socialists and communists in this country who not only walk this soil completely unpunished but also form organized parties, get elected, get appointed to the supreme court? The judge who held him guilty for calling him a "fatty" is the perfect example of one. Anti-nazism laws are unconstitutional. Constitution says that "any and all" censorship of political nature is prohibited. Nazism is a political party. Therefore censorship of nazism is prohibited. It's that simple. So why is it that nazism is literal thought crime while socialism and communism, far more harmful ideologies, are allowed to flourish with complete impunity? If they're gonna ban nazis, I demand that they also ban communists and socialists. It should be a literal thought crime to advocate for anything related to that nonsense. And any form of socialist organization should get all involved sent straight to jail. That's the point that was made. Allowing that crap while simultaneously banning nazism is a contradiction. His only "crime" here was trying to resolve the contradiction by arguing that nazis should be allowed to organize. That's not what we really want. What we actually want is these socialists and communists in jail.
  - rbanffy 2y ago
    > Anti-nazism laws are unconstitutional. Constitution says that "any and all" censorship of political nature is prohibited. Nazism is a political party. Therefore censorship of nazism is prohibited. It's that simple. There’s no censorship. You are allowed to say your mind and nobody can prevent you from doing it. Freedom to do something doesn’t imply impunity for committing crimes in the process of expressing your political beliefs. > the extreme left Brazil had a far-right president for four years. There’s zero far-left in mainstream politics in Brazil, unless you slide the Overton window so far to the right social democrats (such as PT) looks far-left and Bolsonaro looks like a moderate right-winger.
vitorgrs 2y ago
About the "fatty" one... This is more how richer/powerful people have more resources to sue. The case would be a clearly win for everyone who sue it. Brazil's penal code criminalize any "Injury" and "defemation" > Art. 139 - To defame someone, attributing to them a fact that is offensive to their reputation: > Penalty - detention from three months to one year, and a fine. > Art. 140 - To insult someone, offending their dignity or decency: > Penalty - detention from one to six months, or a fine.

HideousKojima 2y ago

See the recent spat between the Brazilian supreme court and Twitter for your answer there