From Brazil’s Recent Events to a Manifesto on Latin American Democracy
May 10th 2016, 16:15 to 18:00 hrs.
The New School – Wolff Conference Room
6 East 16th Street, Room D1103

In the need to discuss the current political  debates on Brazil and Latin America, from the impending impeachment of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, to the rise of other conservative leaders in neighboring countries, Laura Belik, MADS second year student from São Paulo, is organizing together with a group of students from the Latin American Student Organization Somos OLA the event “From Brazil’s Recent Events to a Manifesto on Latin American Democracy“.  This event is organized in a pecha Kucha style, where 12 guest-speakers were invited to discuss the Manifesto Somos OLA students created as well as to give their overview on the current situation of their country’s scenario. 

Gianpaolo Baiochi (Brazil)                                            Rita Carvalho (Brazil)
Michel Cohen (LAC overview)                                    José Galvez Contreras (Honduras)
David López García (Mexico)                                 Margarita Gutman (Argentina)
Rebecca Hollender (Bolivia)                                        Martha Jaimes (Colombia)
Francisco Miranda (Peru)                                           Luisa Nassif Pires (Brazil)
Valentina Ramia (Ecuador)                                         Patricio Schimgelow (Argentina)

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 As a group of Latin American Students at The New School in New York, we wish to communicate, through this manifesto, our stance on the political events that have been taking place in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

1. We stand against the impeachment of the democratically re-elected President Dilma Rousseff in Brazil. According to the Brazilian Constitution, there are no legal reasons to impeach her, therefore, we see this process as a coup d’etat.

2. We frame the strategy used against President Rousseff within a larger wave of reactionary movements that are opposed to progressive Latin American governments all over the region.

3. Constitutions should not be illegally used as a strategy to overthrow progressive governments. Let the people of each Latin American nation evaluate and decide on the future of their governments in democratic and legitimate elections.

4. In a world that is increasingly controlled by the power of economic and corporate agendas, we must insist on the autonomy of democracy in Latin America.

5. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are fundamental in resisting the corruption that encompases the Latin American region. We must demand a stronger protection of freedom of speech as a human right and put an end to the private and public manipulation of the press.

6. The achievements of progressive governments on social rights and redistribution of wealth must be maintained despite partisan or private agendas.

link to Facebook event here:

“From Brazil’s Recent Events to a Manifesto on Latin American Democracy“.