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The crazy 'march on Brasilia'

2023-01-14T09:33:42.627Z


The attempted assault on the three State powers in Brazil was yet another warning about what is at stake, a spectral shadow of an ominous past that threatens to project itself into the future if its explosive charges are not deactivated.


From Curzio Malaparte, author of the book Technique of the Coup d'état, written in Rome in 1928:

“In almost all countries, alongside the parties that express their decision to defend the parliamentary State and to practice a policy of internal balance, that is, liberal and democratic (these are the conservatives of all shades, from the liberals of right to the socialists of the left), there are parties that pose the problem of the State in the revolutionary arena: they are the parties of the extreme right and extreme left, the ''catilinarias'', that is, the fascists and the communists".

"The 'catilinarias' of the right fear disorder. They accuse the Government of weakness, incapacity, irresponsibility. They defend the need for severe control of all political, social, and economic life. They are the idolaters of the State, the supporters of an absolute State. It is in a centralizing, authoritarian, anti-liberal, anti-democratic State that they see the only guarantee of order and freedom, the only dam against the communist danger

. "

This time it was an attempted coup, and this time it did have strongly fascist components, what happened in Brasilia on Sunday the 8th. President Lula referred to “those vandals, who we can call fanatical Nazis, fanatical Stalinists or fanatical fascists, (who) did what was never done in this country."

His message was clear: Stalinists or fascists have that in common: fanaticism.

And the same enemy: democracy. 

We have listened and read ad nauseam in recent years to politicians and communicators apostrophizing with the epithet "fascist" and "coup plotter" any attitude or character that is intended to condemn.

Both for self-perceived “left” populists, as well as for frightened liberals or Republicans scalded by the scant attachment of certain governments and leaders to the rule of law and the division of powers, “fascists” and “coup plotters” are always the others.

And from so much waving the ghost and using those qualifications lightly, they began to lose strength and forcefulness.

They end up becoming innocuous or worse, offering lyrics to fed up fans and incitement to revolt, capable of even taking these epithets as praise.

In Brasilia, “the others” burst onto the scene: a movement with clear coup and fascist connotations.

Like in Washington two years ago.

Fortunately, there were good internal and external reflexes against the attempted assault on power in the Brazilian capital.

The OAS pronouncement was forceful in this sense, with the unanimous vote of its 34 member countries: "We condemn in the clearest and most energetic way this fascist and coup mobilization that has threatened the three powers of the State in Brazil." and that "it is not an isolated event," said its general secretary, Luis Almagro, 

It is that perhaps this failed "march on Brasilia" acted as an alarm clock for consciences, warning about what is at stake.

A spectral shadow of an ominous past that threatens to project itself into the future if its explosive charges are not deactivated and the mechanisms and practices that guarantee democratic life are strengthened.

In a regional panorama that presents itself as a veritable minefield, many continue to play with these fires, following the advice of Curzio Malaparte.

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2023-01-14

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