Stories about Portuguese from December, 2011
Brazil: “We Have Overtaken the United Kingdom's GDP. So What?”
The news, published in the international press and echoed by the country's media, filled nationalist Brazilians with with pride and optimism, and left those who analysed the numbers more closely concerned. Bloggers ponder the meaning of being the world's sixth largest country in terms of Gross Domestic Product, and occupying the 84th position in Human Development Index.
Online Highlights from the Portuguese-Speaking World in 2011
2011 has been another year in which bloggers and activists from a number of Portuguese-speaking countries have come together to report, translate and promote blogs and citizen media from all over the world. This article selects the highlights in the coverage of Lusophone countries on Global Voices over the last year.
Cape Verde: The Musical Legacy of Cesária Évora
After the death of Cesária Évora, symbol of Cape Verdean music, on December 17, there was an abundance of tributes and declarations by her faithful audience from almost every corner of the globe. With the singer and Cape Verde in the spotlight, the blogosphere discussed who might take her place as musical spokeswoman for the country.
Mozambique: On the City of Quelimane, New Epicenter of Politics
Mayoral by-elections in the city of Quelimane, which opposition candidate Manuel de Araújo won, were enthusiastically debated in social networks. Interest in the electoral process went far beyond the provincial city and its repercussions were felt in the capital, Maputo. We document this unexpected end to 2011, an important political moment in Mozambique.
Brazil: Murder or Suicide of Controversial Blogger?
Blogger Alexander Hamilton, 'the Mosquito', was found dead in his apartment in Brazil. According to the police, it was a case of "suicide by hanging." This quick conclusion, however, has not convinced his friends and family, who are demanding a rigorous investigation of the case.
Brazil: Titan Kids and Surfing as Hope
‘Titan Kids’ is a documentary about the kids of Titanzinho, a slum in the city of Fortaleza, Brazil. Birthplace of professional surfers, surfing is perceived as hope in face of “drugs, prostitution, and extreme violence”. Directors Lee-Ann Curren and André Silva (himself a surfer and former resident) released a teaser...
Brazil: Blogging on the Archives of the Dictatorship
Journalist Niara de Oliveira published quotes [pt] from a selection of blogs that participated in the fourth blogging carnival #DesarquivandoBR (Unarchiving Brazil), that took place on December 14, on opening the archives of the Brazilian Dictatorship (1964 to 1985).
Brazil: Proposal for the Legalization of Abortion Approved in Conference
Journalist Maíra Kubik Mano comments on the approval of a proposal to legalize abortion in Brazil, during the Third National Conference on Women, in Brasília. She finalizes wondering “what the government will do if the proposed policy becomes part of the next Plan of National Policies for Women”.
Brazil: Protest and Sit-in Against Belo Monte in Sao Paulo
Journalist Leonardo Sakamoto posts [pt] a picture and video of a protest in São Paulo, Brazil, against the construction of the Belo Monte Dam [pt], on December 17, 2011.
Brazil: Blogger Murdered in the State of Rio Grande do Norte
Tiago Aguiar denounces the assassination of the blogger Edinaldo Filgueira, from the small town of Serra do Mel, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Edinaldo, who believed in “information as a form liberation of humanity”, was allegedly murdered due to a survey on public education he posted...
Brazil: How Many Lives Does the Guarani-Kaiowá's Land Cost?
Last November, 42 gunmen attacked an indigenous reserve in Mato Grosso do Sul, executing Nísio Gomes, 59, chief of the Guaraní Kaiowá and several other villagers. These attacks take place at the same time as Brazil consolidates its position as one of the leading exporters of agricultural goods and biofuels in the world, and Mato Grosso do Sul one of its most productive states.
Mozambique: The Irrepressible Facebook Blogger
Mozambique is a country with a few superbloggers and little else to report in terms of consistent expression on the open internet, but with dramatic growth of Facebook (via mobile) one brave personality has risen to the fore in this walled, blue and white world. With his frontal political comment and criticism "Apóstolo da Desgraça" has become a reference, and received threats.
Brazil-Bahrain: Tear Gas for Repression “Made in Brazil”
Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff reveals on Twitter that the tear gas devices used for repressing the civilian population of Bahrain is manufactured [pt] in the city of Nova Iguaçu, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and adds he feels ashamed [pt] for his country exporting such weapons.
Brazil: Bishop Points Out Rape as Women's Excuse for Abortion
Luis Soares, from the blog Pragmatismo Político (Political Pragmatism) quotes [pt] Bishop of Guarulhos, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, Luiz Gonzaga Bergonzini, who said that “women lie when they say they were raped”. In the bishop's mind, he adds, women lie in order to have abortions, because the...
Brazil: “A new era of political activism?”
Global Voices author from Brazil, Raphael Tsavkko writes about A new era of political activism for the ESPAS Conference on ‘Global Trends 2030′, organized by the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).
Brazil: Monitoring Human Rights During the World Cup and the Olympics
The People's Gateway for the World Cup and the Olympics [pt] has been launched to monitor forced evictions, government misconducts and violations of human rights due to the major urban changes planned for the mega-events of 2014 and 2016. The website was created by a national coalition of committees advocating...
Brazil: Blogger Found Dead, Hanged: Suicide or Assassination?
Brazilian blogger Altamiro Borges announces [pt] on his blog, the death of blogger Hamilton Alexander, the “Mosquito”, found dead, hanged, at his home. He adds that friends and family are not convinced of this version, because the blogger was famous for attacking politicians in his state, Santa Catarina, south of...
Brazil: A Book on Fraudulent Privatizations
Brazilian filmmaker Jorge Furtado comments on [pt] a book that he considers to be the best of 2011: “Privataria Tucana”. The title is a play with words that links piracy, privatization and toucans, the symbol of the Social Democrat Party (PSDB). The book exposes policies of privatization carried out during...
Brazil: Central Bus Station Reflects Precariousness of Human Rights
Emmanuel Rodrigues, writing for the Brazilian blog Eleições Hoje (Elections Today), comments on [pt] the precarious situation of homeless people and others who ramble around the central bus station of Brasilia, Brazil's capital. Rodrigues makes a comparison with the overall situation of the country and the denial of rights to...
Brazil: On a Bill that Bans Drinking in Public Places
Brazilian blogger Leonardo Cisneiros comments on [pt] a proposed bill in the city of Recife (Pernambuco state) that prohibits the consumption of alcoholic beverages in public places. The proposed bill has caused mixed reactions among the population, including a motion of disgust [pt] and online reactions that have been censored...
Brazil: Journalist Threatened at Belo Monte Dam Construction Site
Brazilian journalist Ruy Sposati, in Altamira, Pará, denounces the death of yet another worker at the Belo Monte Dam construction site, another round of mass layoffs of workers on strike and a death threat against him for covering the stories in a series of tweets [all links in pt].
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