7 de dezembro de 2024

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Rio-16: Opening ceremony has protests and an embarrased Michel Temer

Photo: Carla Santos

Written by Felipe Bianchi

Translated by Diogo Silva

On Friday (5), Rio de Janeiro was the scenery of massive demonstrations against the interim president Michel Temer and the coup underway in Brazil. Although the city was feeling the Olympic spirit, social movements and activists marched through Copacabana with the mottos “Out with Temer! Against reduction of rights! Against the Olympic calamity!”.

Social movements estimated at 30,000 the number of protesters who took the streets to denounce the illegality of the impeachment of president Dilma Rousseff and reject the setbacks imposed by the new government – the imposed agenda includes, for example, cutting public spending and withdrawal of labor rights.

Avoiding boos

Several newspapers reported over the week the preparation of a technical operation to stifle boos during the speech of Michel Temer in the games’ opening ceremony. But that was not necessary. The illegitimate president would count with the help of an audio operator to insert sound effects in the intervals of his speech , but he gave up being announced as an authority.

When he announced the official opening of the games, part of the historic protocol of the Olympics, no one could silence the public negative reaction at Maracanã stadium. An Olympic shame.

Epidemic of banners and posters

It was not just in the streets that the coup had to live with demonstrations in defense of democracy . In women’s football games, which took place on 3 and 4 August, a wave of posters and banners against Michel Temer was shown. .

In response to the criticism , the government warned that critics will have to bear the consequences. In a video widely spreaded on social media channels, security guards warned viewers about the ban.

With the reaction of the interim government and the order for security teams to stifle political demonstrations , it is not possible to say if the photos will continue to flood social media.

On Thursday night, Chico Buarque expressed his disapproval about the new government. In an event promoted by an artists’ movement against the interim president, the Brazilian popular music icon performed the song “Apesar de Você” (In Spite of You).

The song is one of the most emblematic protest songs of the artist and it was not sang by Buarque since the 1970s , a period in which Brazil suffered from a military dictatorship. The high point of the lyrics, dedicated this year to Michel Temer, says : ” In spite of you , tomorrow there will be another day .”