by Pepe Escobar, first published at The Cradle, reposted here by the author’s permission The failed coup in Brazil is the latest CIA stunt, just as the country is forging stronger ties with the east. A former US intelligence official has confirmed that the shambolic Maidan remix staged in Brasilia on 8 January was a CIA operation, and linked it to the recent attempts at color revolution in Iran. On
by Pepe Escobar, first posted at the Asia Times, and reposted with the author’s permission Lula wins but his room for maneuver will be limited by powerful forces aligned against his Global South agenda Luis Ignacio “Lula” da Silva may be the ultimate 21st century political comeback kid. At 77, fit and sharp, leading an alliance of 10 political parties, he has just been elected as Brazilian president for what
by Quantum Bird for the Saker blog The gossip, moronic jokes and idiotic memes that now constitute the preferred method of communication of Brazil’s native corporate media – BTW, adopted also in good extent by the alternative one – provided the necessary camouflage to cover up the opening of yet another chapter in the book of Brazil’s hybrid re/neo/colonization war. It concerns the swearing-in ceremony of Alexandre de Moraes to
Still in the legal woods and not daring to project as a revolutionary leader, Lula should nonetheless never be underestimated By Pepe Escobar with permission and first posted at Asia Times A surprising Supreme Court decision that, while not definitive, restores Lula’s political rights has hit Brazil like a semiotic bomb and plunged the nation into a reality show being played in a wilderness of shattered mirrors. At first, it
Last month I published a short post I entitled “What I like to listen to when I miss my beloved Argentina?” featuring a beautiful Argentinian zamba interpreted by Pedro Aznar and Abel Pintos. Today I want to make something very similar and share with you the kind of music I listen to when I miss my (also beloved) Brazil: the song “Jack Soul Brazileiro” in two version: one by Lenine,
by Pepe Escobar (cross-posted with The Asia Times by special agreement with the author) Bolsonaro scandal puts Brazil on edge as farmers eye Amazon forests A specter haunts the Brazilian elites. His name is Lula – the former president and for the past nine months one of the world’s most notorious political prisoners, given his enormous popularity and the controversy over his conviction and jailing. Brazil, until recently a leader
Two of the most beautiful voices in Brazil Lyrics and my own, very imperfect, and free translation: Nada consigo fazer Quando a saudade aperta Foge-me a inspiração Sinto a alma deserta Um vazio se faz em meu peito E de fato eu sinto Em meu peito um vazio Me faltando as tuas carícias As noites são longas E eu sinto mais frio Procuro afogar no álcool A tua lembrança Mas
An attack on Russia’s border control in Crimea leaves one Russian serviceman dead and several wounded. An attempt to assassin the President’s of the Lugansk Republic, Igor Plotnitsky, injures him and his bodyguards. A “nuclear option” for the Rio Olympic games In Russia, there is a very strong understanding that Russian Olympic team was banned from the Olympic games as a part of elaborated plot to organize a massive terror
Russia How a Weak Ruble, Sanctions Help Russian Economy Grow Russian, ASEAN Energy Companies May Trade in National Currencies instead of US dollars Russia, Serbia Sign Military Cooperation Plan for 2016 Why is Mongolian neutrality significant for Russian security Russia and India agree on contract to develop FGFA Indian start-ups help Russian businessman become billionaire Is revolution in Russia by émigrés abroad possible? 27 April 2016 YEKATERINA SINELSCHIKOVA, RIR Parliamentary
An IMMENSE “thank you!!” to D. for translating and subtitling this for us and to VV for helping me with this issue. The Saker (press ‘cc’ for English captions) Transcript: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, journalists. Good morning, here’s Congressmen, Ministers, Good morning everyone here. I will make a statement to the press, so it’s not an interview, it is a statement. I wanted first to tell you, and say
by Pepe Escobar for RT The gloomy and repulsive night when the female president of the 7th largest economy in the world was the prey of choice fed to a lynch mob of hyenas in a drab, provincial Circus Maximus will forever live in infamy. By 367 votes for and 137 against, the impeachment/coup/regime change-light drive against Dilma Rousseff cleared the Brazilian Congressional circus and will now go to the
by Pepe Escobar for RT Color revolutions would never be enough; Exceptionalistan is always on the lookout for major strategic upgrades capable of ensuring perpetual Empire of Chaos hegemony. The ideological matrix and the modus operandi of color revolutions by now are a matter of public domain. Not so much the concept of Unconventional War (UW). UW was spelled out by the 2010 Special Forces Unconventional Warfare manual. Here’s the
The Shifting Pink Tide [Updated] Kirchnerism is out of the presidency in Argentina but remains a force to be reckoned with, controlling both houses of congress, whilst Kirchner herself is free to stand again in 4 years’ time. Paraguay: Colorado Party lose Mayoralty of Asunción to Revolutionary February Party. Important elections in Venezuela immanent. Latin America Pope a ‘Progressive Leader’. Ecuador: Correa unexpectedly pledges to step down. Brazil: Rouseff beset
1) Latin American Left: the Pink Tide: 1999-present? Two recent pieces on the status and prospects of the progressive governments, social movements and multilateral institutions collectively known as the ‘Pink Tide’. Raúl Zibechi: Taking stock of ‘Progresismo’ in Latin America [source] Immanuel Wallerstein: The Latin American Left Moves Rightward [source] (NB I have the utmost respect for both these writers, but the optimist in me has to say that it
This SITREP was sent to me by “Kubla Khan” from Sao Paulo: On the night of July 30 the “Lula Institute”, which was created and is chaired by the leftist leader known internationally, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was attacked by a homemade bomb. The same Lula, elected twice president of the republic, the same Lula that through aggressive social policies, drew 41 million people out of poverty line, in
Press TV reports: Brazil and Argentina have launched a new payment system in their bilateral trade, doing away with the US dollar as a medium of exchange. The two Latin American nations started the Payment System on Local Currency (SML) on Monday following a last month agreement inked by their presidents to use local currencies in a bid to end transaction in dollars. On Thursday, Argentine Central Bank President Martin
