Rio de Janeiro: 25°C, hot, sunny and a little overcast.
It’s a bank holiday, but it seems like a Sunday. I don’t know why. I believe someone mentioned it last week, but I can’t remember. This is the first of three, and I’m already counting down to going to England.
When I was a child, if I felt shame, embarrassment, or something about myself that made me feel bad, I would try to keep a low profile, let the dust settle, and hope everything would blow over.
I believe it is human nature to behave this way, perhaps especially when we are younger or less mature. However, when I open my mobile phone and log into my social media accounts, all I see are people attacking and criticising the President and his government.
This is not trivial or irrelevant; it is serious! Everyone is 100% focused on the president and his government. There is no ambiguity about the situation where it could be confused with someone else. No, it is right there in the president’s face 24/7.
- So, the first question is, how did someone like him really get elected for the third time, and why?
- The second question is, what would it be like to be the president of a country like Brazil to be so hated?
- And the third question, what would it be like for a man of almost 80 years old to be so ridiculed in public?
I believe the answer to the first question concerns money and power, specifically who the powerful individuals or institutions that support Lula are. What is truly at stake? What is the real reason, and how will it affect almost 220 million lives in Brazil?
The second is cruel, no matter what. To have power is a drug, and the end goal is that you don’t care about others. It’s like gatecrashing a party you weren’t invited to, where everyone dislikes you. Yet you still attend, pretending to be good, pleasant, and popular.
And the third, I believe, is even crueller. Imagine arriving at the end of your life, knowing that everyone thinks you’re a piece of rubbish, ridiculous, a joke. A mere fraction of a man because this last question does not concern money or power. It is about integrity, principles, admiration, seriousness, and the focus on doing the right thing—qualities Lula lacks or is unaware of.
My father was a reference for me. He was a small business owner, running a newsagent shop in England. Nothing very big or impressive, but he had a code of integrity, and you could see this in him all the time. It’s something I cannot see in Lula and his government.
Always remember that education and influence flow from the top down through social layers and institutions. They begin with the president and extend to the population, from parents to their children, from bosses to their subordinates, and from the company’s president to all its employees.
Whatever is at the top can be good or bad, and its influence extends to all the layers below. Unfortunately, for the past 30 years, the situation has predominantly been bad regarding the governments in Brazil.
I love Brazil and its people. I have two daughters here, who I also love dearly. However, like most native Brazilians, I am incredibly disappointed. Brazil has always had the potential to be a great international power, but thus far, it has not realised a fraction of that potential. This has been mainly due to incompetence, poor management, selfishness, and overwhelming corruption.
As I always say, who pays the price? The answer is the people, and it is a very costly price for the citizens, as it impacts their lives in various ways. For the country, which ultimately fails to progress—it merely stagnates under the ego-centric and power-hungry leaders.
There is a saying in Brazil: Brazil is not for amateurs. However, over the years, I have expanded on this saying, and now I assert that while Brazil is not for amateurs, it is governed by amateurs.
“Brazil is not for amateurs but is run by Amateurs”!!!
In bed by 10.30 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
