On the International Day of Democracy, the 12th edition of the manifestation ‘Rights NOW!’ It happened last Monday (15), at PUC-SP, and was attended by Geraldo Alckmin, António Guterres and Gilmar Mendes
On International Day of the forum for democracy held on the night of last Monday (15), at the theater of the tuca, the 12th edition of the Act Rights already! – In defense of democracy and national sovereignty. Created in 2019 in response to the authoritarian climbing in Brazil, the Rights Movement NOW! acted in the articulation of the Broad Front that supported the then candidate In the 2022 elections. Yesterday participated political leaders of different parties, representatives of civil society, artists, intellectuals, jurists and religious leaders.
The creator and general coordinator of the movement, Fernando Guimarães Rodrigues, read a manifesto in defense of democracy, national sovereignty and the Supreme Court (STF), against the interference of the United States in Brazil and the amnesty of those who attacked the democratic regime in the country. “We defeated an attempted coup d’etat by former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies who, prosecuted under the law, were sentenced by his crimes. However, Brazilian courts faced an aggressive attempt to interfere with US president Donald Trump in favor of scammers, with the imposition of 50% rates on Brazilian exports and an illegal attack on the case minister in the court. Supreme, ”he said.
The manifesto proposed to the country’s democratic forces a great mobilization in defense of freedom, fundamental rights and national sovereignty. “May the celebration of International Day of Democracy be a milestone in the mobilization necessary to guarantee the survival of freedom, fundamental rights and our national sovereignty that derives from the popular will and is defined in the Federal Constitution.”
Amnesty
According to the manifesto, the undemocratic pressure of the US government against Brazil resulted from articulations of the Bolsonaro family and allied parliamentarians, which encouraged intervention in Brazilian politics. “[Esses] They are true acts of betrayal to the interests of our country. Now, in the face of the condemnation of the STF scammers, they disregard the congress for an antichonstitutional amnesty for them and those who tried to create chaos with the depredation of the Supreme Court, Parliament and the Executive headquarters on January 8, 2023 ”.
“The law, however, already considers that amnesty who has violated democratic rules, and does not even recognize their legitimacy, is the other face of coup, which favors the possibility that new attacks be dismissed against the regime without the perpetrators to pay for their crimes,” the document says.
UN Secretary-General
In a message sent to the organizers of the act, the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), António Guterres, defended democracy and said he lived a dictatorship in the skin. “Our legitimacy and our purpose derive from those we serve. We will reaffirm democracy as a force of dignity, inclusion, and peace. And we work together to produce results for all. A democracy that excludes is not democracy. To those who seek to discredit or weaken democracy, I say: I lived under a dictatorship.
Difficult moment
The STF Minister, Gilmar Mendes, highlighted the difficult moment the Brazilian democracy goes through. He pointed out, however, that the country’s institutions have been able to resist the attacks. “Rarely, we live such a difficult time in these 40 years of democracy, 37 years of the 1988 Constitution. But institutions have been able to be resilient and civil society support to the Supreme and all national institutions is fundamental,” he said. Mendes who was present at the beginning of the event and left the message recorded.
Betrayal
Last to speak at the time, Vice-President of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin, classified as traitors the authors of the attempted coup and praised the court for condemning them to jail. “If losing the election tried to blow, imagine if they had won the election. And the worst: even outside the government, they continue to work against the interest of the Brazilian people outside, spreading fake news to harm jobs and companies in Brazil.” “There can be no greater offense for a politician than plotting against Brazilian democracy. So, did the judiciary very well,” he added.
Alckmin ended his speech by remembering one of the memorable phrases of Ulysses Guimarães. “[Vim] Bring a very affectionate hug, miss many here, meet new friends and remember the late Dr. Ulysses: traitor of the Constitution is a traitor of the homeland. Long live democracy. ”
*With information from Agência Brasil
