“It’s the wind blowing free, it’s the end of the slope/It’s a beam, it’s a void, it’s a hunch, it’s a hope/And the river bank talks of the waters of March,” sang Tom Jobim, the Bossa Nova genius, in a song he wrote and composed in 1972 as an ode to the summer rain that lashes Rio de Janeiro in March. Like the rain, coming down in sheets and columns with gusts of wind, the song Waters of March captures Brazil at this time of the year when the Carnival revelry is dying down, the skies are grey and the mood on the street a little sombre.
This year has been a bit different. February was one of the wettest months in a long time, receiving a huge portion of annual rain. The Carnival parade in Rio and other cities became a one big protest song against the government. The skies may be bluer than usual for March; and it’s going to rain protests — a continuation of public outrage shown during the country’s biggest festival.
Strangely, leading the protest efforts is President Jair Bolsonaro, who himself provoked strong reactions from Samba schools during the Carnival for his far-right policies. Then, just as the Carnival was getting over this week, Mr. Bolsonaro sent out a message in a WhatsApp group, backing a protest planned by extreme right-wing groups against the Congress and in defence of the Army and the government. The demonstration, scheduled for March 15, has been in planning since January, but it got a boost this week after a top General dubbed the members of Congress as “racketeers” and Mr. Bolsonaro himself sent out a video calling on the people to “take to the streets to defend” him.
Criticism and panic
With several organisers of the March 15 “protest” openly calling for “military intervention” and “closing down” of Congress and the Supreme Court, there has been widespread criticism — and some panic — across the political spectrum.
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was barred from running against Mr. Bolsonaro in 2018, has called on Brazilians to stand up against the “authoritarian act”. “Bolsonaro has never gotten on with democracy. He’s a false patriot who is surrendering our sovereignty to the U.S. and condemning the people to poverty,” Mr. Lula tweeted. Even right-wing leaders like former President Fernando Cardoso and Sao Paulo’s Governor Joao Doria have denounced Mr. Bolsonaro’s move. “Brazil fought so hard to rescue its democracy. We must vehemently reject any act that disrespects this country’s democratic institutions and pillars,” said Mr. Doria.
Between 1964 and 1985, Brazil was ruled by Generals who had closed Congress and established a brutal regime. Mr. Bolsonaro has often expressed his admiration for these 21 years. With the majority of Brazilians born after these tragic years and civil society organisations taking deep roots in the country since the return of democracy, a series of rallies and protests have been planned in “defence of democracy”.
On March 8, the International Women’s Day, there will be rallies in all major cities to condemn the federal government’s “pension reforms” and to “highlight black women”. On March 14, a day before the far-right groups take to the streets, demonstrations will mark two years since the murder of Marielle Franco, the black and gay city Councillor in Rio, who was gunned down by the militia which has alleged links to the Bolsonaro family.
Since coming to power last year, the Bolsonaro government has spent quite a lot of energy on cutting down public services, including healthcare and education. On March 18, three days after demonstrations by supporters of the President, massive protests have been planned with the theme of “Dictatorship, Never Again”. “The government’s policies are hurting our future as it cuts down money for education and fails to create jobs. At the same time, they keep eulogising the Army rule. The last thing Brazil needs is any military intervention in politics,” says Raul Perreira, 23, a university student.
The country’s history still haunts it. On March 31, the day on which the military began its dictatorship in 1964, thousands will be out on the streets, remembering those who got swallowed by those dark days. At some places, they would be recalling the “greatest Brazilian song” of all time, sung by Jobim in his velvet voice. “The rest of a stump, a lonesome road/A sliver of glass, a life, the sun/A knife, a death, the end of the run/And the river bank talks of the waters of March…” sang Jobim 48 years ago. This March, thousands would be humming these lines across Brazil.
(Shobhan Saxena is a journalist based in Sao Paulo)
