Klaus Hart Brasilientexte

2012 AGENDA

Frei Betto*

It looks as though the year ahead will not be easy. The capitalism crisis which is not just financial but structural as well, is starting to affect emerging economies, including Brazil. Nothing shows that countries in the euro zone will detain the corrosion of their economies and maintain the same currency.

If China, the USA and the European Union reduce their imports, the Brazilian GDP which is already at the high level of R$4 trillion (US$2.5 trillion) will drop together with the country’s growth. The Dilma government will have to think hard so as to warm the internal market, stop inflation and favour credit. We hope she will manage. But it looks as though Brazil will meet with serious turbulence on its journey towards development.

http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2012/01/18/weltsozialforum-2012-in-porto-alegre-brasilien-befreiungstheologe-frei-betto/

http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2012/01/20/vietnamesischer-general-giap-hundert-ein-film-des-brasilianers-silvio-tendler-anklicken/

The next few months will see the municipal elections as the priority on the October agenda. Much offensiveness will once again appear… it is important for voters not to turn up their noses at the election process. Remember: those who hate politics are governed by those who don’t.

Here is a suggestion: make a list of 10 priorities which you and your community (association, union, NGO, etc.) consider urgent in your municipality. Make copies and every time a candidate to mayor or to the council requests your vote, ask them if they agree with the 10 points without showing them the list. If the answer is yes, show them the list and demand they sign it. If they won’t sign, warn other voters.

Consult the proposals on www.nossasaopaulo.org.bra <http://www.nossasaopaulo.org.bra/> (Nossa Sao Paulo site) to ensure that candidates will commit to goals and time limits.

Another important issue this year will be the WORLD CUP preparations.  What a lot of effort towards being ready before the ball rolls and what a lot of monitoring so as to avoid (or at least reduce) corruption from over billing!

Between 4th and 6th June, Brazil will host the environmental mega event known as Rio+20 (United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development) – 20 years after Eco 92 which brought together world leaders, including Fidel Castro.  Lula had proposed this event in 2007.

Eco 92 produced important results such as the Agenda 21, The Earth Charter and the Climate and Biodiversity Conventions.

Brazilian diplomacy will have to make a great effort to bring at least half a dozen of the G8 chiefs of state who rule the planet to the Marvellous City (Rio de Janeiro). This is because the G8 is increasingly less interested in environmental preservation and more interested in bringing their countries out of recession.

The Peoples’ Summit will be held parallel to Rio+20 and will gather NGOs and businesses, universities and associations, in fact, segments of civil society interested in  environmental issues.

An important note: The Mayan Calendar ends in 2012.  Some people see this as announcing the end of the world! There are some who say it is the start of a new cosmic cycle! Don’t worry. Make 2012 be the end all that which reduces your quality of life and be the start of what can improve it. I guarantee that you will have a happy new year!

http://www.hart-brasilientexte.de/2011/12/27/brasiliens-staatschefin-dilma-rousseff-und-ihr-erstes-amtsjahr-viel-kritik-an-regierungsstil-und-deren-resultaten-von-brasilianischen-politik-und-wirtschaftsexperten-viel-lob-aus-mitteleuropa/