The buildup of NATO air and ground forces along the borders of Russia in eastern Europe and President Barack Obama’s American power-influencing trip to Asia have a single purpose. The seen and unseen forces who dictate policy to their political puppets in Washington, London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and other vassal capital cities have decided to smash BRICS -- the emergent financial power bloc encompassing Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Bilateral and multilateral discussions among the five emerging economic powers aimed at decoupling BRICS economies from the US dollar as a reserve and trading currency have met with the only power Washington can muster on behalf of itself and its foundering allies -- military force. The problems between Ukraine and Russia over Crimea and federalism within Ukraine are a mask designed to cover Obama’s true intentions, which are the smashing of the BRICS as a viable alternative to the neo-colonialist financial systems of the West and subsuming the economies of the BRICS to the whims of the United States and the ever-teetering European Union.
The G-8, which suspended Russia from membership, and the World Trade Organization, of which Russia is now a member, never had a thing to do with free trade and common economic policies. These contrivances, formed in the back rooms by the bankers of the Trilateral Commission and Bilderberg Group, were always about unipolar domination of the world by a single superpower. Since the end of World War II and the collapse of the once-dominant British Empire, that superpower has been the United States.
Showing posts with label Brazil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brazil. Show all posts
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Brazil’s World Cup Evictions: an Insult to Soccer
In the early morning hours on January 7, Brazilian city officials arrived in the favela slum of Metrô-Mangueira in Rio de Janeiro to forcibly evict the families living there. In total 12 homes, some of which still had their residents’ belongings inside, were demolished, sending tremors throughout the neighborhood. When the outraged residents took to the streets in protest, police fired pepper spray, tear gas, and rubber bullets as protesters returned fire with rocks and bottles.
This particular favela is located less than half a mile from Macarana Stadium, where the final World Cup match will be played this summer.
So far, thousands of people have been forcibly removed from their homes in Rio de Janeiro. According to city law, victims of forced evictions must be relocated close to their previous homes. But many are being relocated to the outskirts of the city, far away from their previous residences. And the compensation packages of $22,000 for families forced to relocate have been described as inadequate for a country where real estate prices are rising rapidly.
This particular favela is located less than half a mile from Macarana Stadium, where the final World Cup match will be played this summer.
So far, thousands of people have been forcibly removed from their homes in Rio de Janeiro. According to city law, victims of forced evictions must be relocated close to their previous homes. But many are being relocated to the outskirts of the city, far away from their previous residences. And the compensation packages of $22,000 for families forced to relocate have been described as inadequate for a country where real estate prices are rising rapidly.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Four years after devastating earthquake, Haitians get nothing but imperialist occupation
The horrific Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti caused building collapses in Port-au-Prince and its suburbs that killed at least 300,000 people. It left an uncounted number injured and 1.5 million homeless.
Four years later, according to the Ministry of Public Works, an estimated 20 percent of the ruble has yet to be removed. Only 7,515 units of public housing have been built and what has been built suffers from major shortcomings. (Haiti Grassroots Watch, Jan. 8)
The massive devastation of Haiti touched off a worldwide outpouring of sympathy and solidarity. Governments promised $14 billion in aid. However, not much has substantially improved in the lives of the Haitian people.
The U.S. government put together an aid package worth $128 million to build an industrial park in Caracol on the northwest coast of Haiti that was supposed to supply 60,000 jobs. (Le Monde Diplomatique, May 2013) At the end of 2013, only 2,590 people were working there and many of them weren’t paid even Haiti’s minimum wage of $4.54 a day. (New York Times, Jan. 10)
Four years later, according to the Ministry of Public Works, an estimated 20 percent of the ruble has yet to be removed. Only 7,515 units of public housing have been built and what has been built suffers from major shortcomings. (Haiti Grassroots Watch, Jan. 8)
The massive devastation of Haiti touched off a worldwide outpouring of sympathy and solidarity. Governments promised $14 billion in aid. However, not much has substantially improved in the lives of the Haitian people.
The U.S. government put together an aid package worth $128 million to build an industrial park in Caracol on the northwest coast of Haiti that was supposed to supply 60,000 jobs. (Le Monde Diplomatique, May 2013) At the end of 2013, only 2,590 people were working there and many of them weren’t paid even Haiti’s minimum wage of $4.54 a day. (New York Times, Jan. 10)
Can Brazil help roll back US surveillance?
Brazil has become a staunch and vocal critic of US espionage, asking Google and Facebook to install local servers. But will this really work? A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate on emerging powers and human rights. Español.
Brazil has risen to global prominence because of its economic growth and potential, disaster relief leadership during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and skilled core of globally engaged diplomats.
This past fall, Brazil’s biggest international move was its outspoken opposition to espionage by the US spy agency, the National Security Agency (NSA). OpenGlobalRights author Jeffrey Cason argues that Brazil is too traditional to be a global human rights leader, and that “it is unlikely to make human rights promotion a centerpiece of its foreign policy.”
Yet Brazil has long criticized the US and other governments when they tread on civil freedoms. Now, the country is leading a global backlash against the US for its habit of mass, online espionage.
Brazil has risen to global prominence because of its economic growth and potential, disaster relief leadership during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and skilled core of globally engaged diplomats.
This past fall, Brazil’s biggest international move was its outspoken opposition to espionage by the US spy agency, the National Security Agency (NSA). OpenGlobalRights author Jeffrey Cason argues that Brazil is too traditional to be a global human rights leader, and that “it is unlikely to make human rights promotion a centerpiece of its foreign policy.”
Yet Brazil has long criticized the US and other governments when they tread on civil freedoms. Now, the country is leading a global backlash against the US for its habit of mass, online espionage.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Video: Claudia Leitte perform 'Dekole' Live at Axé Brasil SP 2013
JPerry, a Haitian pop artist, single 'Dekole' performed by Brazilian songstress Claudia Leitte live at Axé Brasil SP 2013.
Buy: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Single)
Video: Claudia Leitte perform 'Dekole' Live at Alfredo Vasconcelos 2013
JPerry, a Haitian pop artist, single 'Dekole' performed by Brazilian songstress Claudia Leitte live at Alfredo Vasconcelos 2013.
Buy: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Single)
Video: Claudia Leitte perform 'Dekole' Live at FAICI Indaiatuba 2013
JPerry, a Haitian pop artist, single 'Dekole' performed by Brazilian songstress Claudia Leitte live at FAICI Indaiatuba 2013.
Buy: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Single)
Audio: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole
MUSIC: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole
JPerry, a Haitian pop artist, featured on Brazilian songstress Claudia Leitte single titled 'Dekole'.
Buy: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Single)
Video: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Lyrical Video)
JPerry, a Haitian pop artist, featured on Brazilian songstress Claudia Leitte single titled 'Dekole'.
Buy: Claudia Leitte Ft JPerry - Dekole (Single)
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Brazil World Cup seeks Haitian migrants amid worker shortage
Dec. 16 (Bloomberg) -- A company building one of the 12 stadiums for next year’s soccer World Cup in Brazil is recruiting Haitian workers after falling months behind schedule.
Construction firm Mendes Junior has brought in more than 100 workers from the Caribbean country to help complete the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, according to Mauricio Guimaraes, special secretary for the World Cup for the state of Mato Grosso. Even with the additional assistance, the stadium, where seats have yet to be installed and work on the roof remains unfinished, will miss a Dec. 31 deadline by at least two months, Guimaraes said.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, which claimed thousands of lives and displaced more than 1 million. Cuiaba, in central Brazil, is one of several cities in the country that have faced labor shortages as growth in other sectors, and the scale of infrastructure work, has led to a shortage of manual workers. Plans for the 570.1 million-reais ($244 million) stadium were altered as a result of the worker shortage, with designers opting for prefabricated pieces.
Construction firm Mendes Junior has brought in more than 100 workers from the Caribbean country to help complete the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba, according to Mauricio Guimaraes, special secretary for the World Cup for the state of Mato Grosso. Even with the additional assistance, the stadium, where seats have yet to be installed and work on the roof remains unfinished, will miss a Dec. 31 deadline by at least two months, Guimaraes said.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas, and was devastated by an earthquake in 2010, which claimed thousands of lives and displaced more than 1 million. Cuiaba, in central Brazil, is one of several cities in the country that have faced labor shortages as growth in other sectors, and the scale of infrastructure work, has led to a shortage of manual workers. Plans for the 570.1 million-reais ($244 million) stadium were altered as a result of the worker shortage, with designers opting for prefabricated pieces.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Uruguay Discusses Withdrawing Troops from Haiti, Creating Waves Throughout the Region
In late October, Uruguayan president José Mujica announced that he planned to withdraw his country’s troops from Haiti, where they make up 11 percent of the U.N. peacekeeping mission. Citing the long delayed legislative elections, Mujica told the press:
One thing is to try to help the Haitian people build a police force that is in charge of security. That's fine… Another thing is being there indefinitely with a regime that we think is at least dubious in terms of a continuity of democratic renewal.
Brazil, MINUSTAH (Brazil-led UN occupation force in Haiti), and Haiti’s ongoing crises
The Brazilian news agency Globo reported in late November that the South American nation has begun to (slowly) decrease the amount of troops it deploys to the U.N. peacekeeping operation in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Brazil continues to supply the majority of troops — including the commander of the operation, Lieutenant General Edson Leal Pujol — but according to Globo the new contingent of army engineers that departed Brazil for the Caribbean island on November 26 have 73 fewer personnel. Although this may not be a drastic decrease of troops overall, it does hint at the fact that troop contributing countries (TCC) may be experiencing “donor fatigue” regarding this particular U.N. peace operation.
São Paulo: Haitians in search of the Brazilian dream
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – As he helps serve food to customers, Robinson Jean Baptiste also is feeding his dreams of a better future.
This 26-year-old restaurant employee in the city of São Paulo is one of about 8,000 Haitians who entered Brazil during the past three years, including 6,000 who arrived between January and September 2013, according to Brazil’s Federal Police.
This 26-year-old restaurant employee in the city of São Paulo is one of about 8,000 Haitians who entered Brazil during the past three years, including 6,000 who arrived between January and September 2013, according to Brazil’s Federal Police.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
VIDEO: Trampa perform 'Haiti' Live at Rolla Pedra 2009
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tlkKPBifJw
Trampa, a Brazilian rock band, perform 'Haiti' live at Rolla Pedra 2009.
BUY: Trampa - Causa E Efeito
Trampa, a Brazilian rock band, perform 'Haiti' live at Rolla Pedra 2009.
BUY: Trampa - Causa E Efeito
Thursday, September 26, 2013
AUDIO: Trampa - Haiti
MUSIC: Trampa - Haiti
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/banda-trampa/09-haiti-1[/soundcloud]
Trampa, a Brazilian rock band, single titled 'Haiti'.
BUY: Trampa - Causa E Efeito
AUDIO: METAL FOR HAITI - Don’t Lose Hope
MUSIC: METAL FOR HAITI - Don’t Lose Hope
[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/rodrigo-bitarello/metal-for-haiti-dont-lose-hope[/soundcloud]
METAL FOR HAITI: brazilian metal musicians compose song to help Haiti. Metal For Haiti is a project created by brazilian metalheads Renato Osorio (Magician, Scelerata) and Tiago Masseti (Daydream XI) aiming to raise funds for the reconstruction of Haiti. The idea was to write a song and gather a large group of musicians, involving various bands from the south of Brazil, to record for a good cause and help people through heavy metal music.
BUY: METAL FOR HAITI - Don’t Lose Hope (Single)
Check out the Brazilian line-up of Metal For Haiti:
Vocals:
- Tiago Masseti (Daydream XI)
- Eduardo Clark (Unmaker)
- Iuri Sanson (Hibria)
- Gui Antonioli (Anaxes, Tierramystica) – Ricardo Vieira (Fighterlord)
Guitars:
- Renato Osorio (Magician, Scelerata)
- Magnus Wichmann (Scelerata)
- Jonathan Spinelli (Liberty)
- Diego Kasper (Hibria)
Bass:
- Tomás Gonzaga (Daydream XI)
Keyboards:
- Rodrigo Bitarello (Sun Chasky)
Drums:
- Zé Bocchi (Magician)
“When a whole country
Lies broken on the ground
And you see the bodies laying there
Without making a sound
Make an effort
The smallest act of a healthy, wealthy person
Can become the light of hope to the needed, desperate eyes
Of those who cry
Of those who die” – Metal For Haiti