Greenwald has been a fearless principled voice, and such people are being increasingly threatened, worldwide. Trump's "fake news" defense gives permission to others.
We are approaching an exceptionally dangerous period.
155
Glenn Greenwald who helped leak classified documents that were the property of the United States government is now under duress in a country that doesn't protect the press freedoms that he has abused in his country of origin. Though I have sympathy for the people of Brazil I have little for Mr. Greenwald.
96
@Joe Weber did you read the article? It appears they protect them more.
31
@Joe Weber "Abuse of press freedom" is an interesting and nonsensical phrase.
73
@Joe Weber
Leaking classified documents revealing government lies and abuse of power is among journalism's most important jobs. In this time of non-stop lies from would-be dictators we need journalists to tell the truth. Greenwald's journalism deserves support from all who value truth and freedom.
201
Lots of people like a strongman and will cheer him on even as he takes away some of their rights--because he's doing it worse to others. A strongman appeals to the worst part of human nature and shows that the freedoms in the Bill of Rights are fragile things.
67
I classify Mr. Greenwald in the same group of Alt Left figures such as Julian Assange, Tulsi Gabbard, and Edward Snowden. These people seem to hate the Dems more than Trump's GOP and did everything they could to defeat Clinton. They also seem to constantly pop up on right wing propaganda outlets like Fox News, or get hyped by Russia's RT.
Greenwald was very aggressive pushing the notion that 'evil Hillary' was as bad or worse than Donald Trump.
The same Trump who more or less told the public he was colluding with Russia and showed affinity to dictators.
Way to go Glenn! I'm sorry you are reaping what you helped sow, but what did you expect?
No sympathy.
24
I saw the video. I don't speak Portuguese. You don't appear to be practicing civic discourse yourself.
I saw two angry men being angry with one another. But I am sure if is an example of a growing, and existential, threat of right-wing radicalism.
9
I didn’t know Mr. Greenwald had published articles about the Brazil’s President Bolsonaro but I did read the articles he wrote to try to cast a shadow on the anti-corruption operation Car Wash just because President Lula from the Workers Party was arrested too.
4
Mr Greenwald, this is terrible and I fear for your safety. Brazen attacks that are permitted against anyone who dares to criticize their corruption and intolerance. I think you should seriously consider whether you should stay in Brazil under such overt hostility and threats. Best wishes.
"The president’s political movement regards journalists as obstacles and prefers intimidation and violence to civic discourse."
The US is not far behind . . . in fact, we might already be there.
Watch the original video of the interaction...Greenwald is just crying assault over nothing.
11
The threats and attacks on journalists and whistleblowers in Brazil sounds eerily familiar, doesn't it? The Trump administration and their enablers refer to journalists doing their job as "enemies of the people". Because of his damning testimony in Mr. Trump's impeachment inquiry, Lt. Colonel Vindman, a decorated military officer, has to be under 24-hour protection due to the threats to him and his family from people in thrall to our dear leader.
Mr. Greenwald, unfortunately, piles on these groups as well, attacking American liberals opposed to Trumpism and journalists who dare question the Trump campaign's ties to Russia or the president's brazen acts of obstruction as "hoaxers" and "McCarthyites". He condemns whistleblowers in the US as "deep state" plotters.
Greenwald supports Vladimir Putin's violent expansionist foreign policy, is a war crimes denier re: Syria's bloodsoaked dictator Assad, and is a regular guest on right-wing conspiracy shows like Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, commiserating with his hosts about how the Democrats are mean to Trump.
Greenwald has built a career trashing liberals, condemning Western democracies and sympathizing with brutal dictatorships. He apparently supports right-wing authoritarianism everywhere except in his own backyard.
8
That was an assault?
Look at the video. It's a ridiculous accusation.
Greenwald bullies an ancient geezer and the guy tries to slap him. Some assault.
15
I’m deeply concerned about the fake news made up and spread by Mr. Greenwald.
The fact he is married to a Brazilian journalist does not entitle him to continuously made up stories about the government he opposes vehemently because this person is an American socialist. Do you buy it?
Ready to live a very modest life to help the poor people!
Correct?
You should go back to the USA where you must have the best society ever conducted by a government that excels in integrity, ethics,moral values and justice! Nothing to criticize!
I’ d be looking forward to leaving Brazil if I were in your shoes.
6
Brazil's trajectory from democracy to whatever it is now as it slides toward autocracy, is a cautionary story for those here who do not think it could happen under Trump, or that a revolution will produce anything other than a different authoritarian. That in addition to their own Trumpy leader, they also have their own imbecile lackey Nunes, is an added parallel I was unaware of. Arguing that Glenn's children should be taken from him because he's working on stories while Miranda's also working is particularly ridiculous. If accurate, every two-parent working household would have to have their children removed.
1
Hey GG, looks to me like you were being the aggressor not the old gray haired guy. For a "pro", seems like you have a hard time keeping things in check especially looking to smack him in the jaw when he was being held back. You were lucky the old guy wasn't released on you; you'd be staring at the ceiling.
9
No surprise to those of us who have a passing interest in the doin’s south of the border, where failed or failing states are the rule. Sure, from time to time, there are brief periods where it appears that s stable, functioning democracy in this or that venue may stand a chance of success, over the long term, but it’s not to be. Analysis is a waste of academic time and energy, with the same conclusion drawn: that whatever the faults of Latino culture and institutions in producing such dismal results, in actuality it is the fault of - you guessed it - the United States in encouraging the caudillos in their drive power and dominance, creating the circumstances in which the economies of destruction hold sway. Those of us who are not held captive by Leftist academic “scholars” know better and are happy that the stars are so aligned that we live in the United States of America.
2
Not much of an assault, man.
9
Just wondering why Glenn Greenwald isn't saying this on his favorite "truth telling" media source, Fox News?
Why come here to speak to the NY Times readers you despise, Glenn, because they don't agree with your strong position that Trump is merely a victim of a huge Russia hoax and is no worse than the evil Democrats?
Go back on Fox and tell the audience you have been so frequently addressing that Trump is wrong to be supporting Bolsonaro. I'm sure they will help you. You sure have chutzpah looking for support from the people who believe in the facts you dismiss when they serve your purpose.
20
I would feel sorry if he wasn't pretending Russia never interfered in our election. Glen's blindness got America and Brazil far right cowards powered by internet lies.
12
Sounds like the United States. Don't expect help from the evil in the US Executive branch. But, we are with you and Bolsonara must go. How can we help?
I'm glad Brazil has such great constitutional protections for a free press. But as somebody--was it Nixon?--said, "When I hear somebody speak of a 'free press,' I take out my revolver."
While I don't defend any kind of physical aggression, one has to put things into context. Consider that just before Greenwald was slapped on the face by Nunes, he called the Brazilian journalist a "coward" nothing less than six times. Greenwald was very close to the other journalist and kept pointing fingers at the Brazilian journalist for a long time, while offending the senior journalist, Not mentioning that after they were separated, Greenwald also attacked Nunes. Furthermore, many Brazilians are upset that Greenwald published stolen material (phone conversations) from a then Federal Judge that is for many a hero. This anger toward Greenwald has less to do with Bolsonaro and more to do with the fact that Greenwald is not respecting Brazilian law. Now let's imagine if a Brazilian journalist had got together with American hackers and published stolen phone conversation from an American Federal judge! Just because GG is called a journalist and won a Pulitzer prize he is not above the law. It is illegal in Brazil to listen to private conversation. Nunes and millions of Brazilians are outraged with what Greenwald is doing and have asked authorities to either arrest or extradited him, not because people who support Bolsonaro are "fascists" but because Greenwald did something that is against the law. This article is an exercise in distortion. For me, Greenwald is a militant, not a journalist anymore.
76
Lead with your left jab and keep moving, Greenwald. Don't present him with a stationary target next time. I also get the sense that it wouldn't be much trouble at all to loop a sweeping right hook around Nunes' left when he counterpunches. If you're patient, he'll almost certainly expose himself in that fashion sooner or later.
One more time: Left jab, keep moving, and look for a chance to hit him with a right hook.
Now go get him, Tiger.
19
Love you Glen. Our friend Bill Moyers turned me on to your work years ago and I’ve been following you ever since. I sometimes dream of what my life would be like as a journalist, and I model those dreams on your good work
9
I went kayaking in Panama while on a cruise (with my parents - I am not the "cruise type")
The kayaking trip was on a body of water in the canal zone. I was utterly shocked when we arrived at the departure location and it was the former "School of the Americas," known as the "School of the Dictators."
This was where America trained the right wing death squads that either served the dictators of the region or posed as freedom fighters as they tried to overthrow legitimate governments.
It was a stark reminder of the murderous trail that the U.S. has left in South America. Brazil is suffering from those U.S. crimes even still.
17
I feel for Mr. Greenwald, who left the USA for love, but also because it couldn't meet his standards of tolerance and justice.
There are certainly issues with our government, and with the way society has come to be structured here. But the reason that the USA was a beacon to other countries was that we were willing to put a stake in the ground for equality in "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Let's hope the voters in 2020 recall those ideals and vote everywhere for Democratic candidates.
14
There appears to be a racial conflict between light skinned Oligarchs who were the rulers since independence .They ruled by hook or crook We now have come to age of change where the underclass is becoming assertive under Charismatic populists like Lula . They have used the same methods as the previous rulers There is counter revolution by Oligarchs
There are no saints Can the long-standing class conflicts be resolved in peaceful non violent means in liberal democracy?
I saw the video clip of the physical assault on MR Greenwald by Mr Nunes It really does not matter if Greenwald was provocative verbally or he belonged to left wing in politics .It is not simply not acceptable to a person to physically assault another person.Was he arrested or criminally prosecuted?
2
I condemn Bolsonaro's attacks. Glenn Greenwald has a distinguished history of challenging authority and dictatorial regimes in the US and elsewhere.
But, I find it ironic that Greenwald downplays Russian influence in the US elections. That he does not see Trump's impeachment as important to US democracy. Rightly condemning Bolsonaro, he treads lightly on Trump and his multitude of crimes.
Are not the same forces at play in both countries?
25
Greenwald had a nice left forearm block of the initial right hand. But then he left himself open to the left slap/face push.
Greenwald's over the top lunges were illustrative of a person who seems to have never thrown a punch.
Meanwhile, Assange and Manning are rotting in prison. Where is Greenwald on all that?
5
@Bill Wolfe He's been outspoken. For example, check out this Twitter feed. I stopped counting after number 30.
https://twitter.com/search?lang=en&q=(assange%20OR%20manning)%20(from%3Aggreenwald)&src=typed_query
1
@Bill Wolfe I went back and reviewed the video.
Greenwald clearly blocks the initial Nunes right hand punch aggression at time 1:42.
For a split second, Nunes, the initial aggressor, gets defensive, with his hand down and pointed defensively at Greenwald's chest, seeming to push him away.
But then Greenwald goes on the offense and assumes a fighting stance while moving forward at Nunes at time 1:44.
That is what prompts the Nunes left hand slap/face push at time 1:46.
Doubt this would trigger an arrest, no less indictment and conviction in US. See the video:
https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/miscellaneous/journalist-augusto-nunes-attacks-glenn-greenwald-on-panico-radio-show/
2
And a good Brazil it is.
1
No, it isn’t. The authoritarian impulse is for the fearful and weak among us. People, it seems, such as you.
1
The Times desperately needs a voice from the left to balance out all the centrist pablum. Glenn would be terrific candidate!
12
@Casey S Glenn Greenwald is not a voice from the left, he is a bitter critic of the left. His griping about right wing extremists makes me laugh. Greenwald's usual act is tacit promotion of the right by eviscerating progressives for being imperfect, and for opposing Republicans' close partnership with Russian oligarchs and with Putin.
It's fairly typical for a left-hater to change his tune when right wing extremism harms him personally. But I suspect tomorrow he'll go back to seeing evil only among earnest lefties.
6
@Casey S Greenwald stopped being a voice from the left when he allowed his hatred of Hillary to make him a defender of Putin and Trump. Trump praised Montana congressman Greg Gianforte for assaulting a reporter, and Greenwald coudn't be bothered to condemn Trump for it. Having helped Trump come to power, how can Greenwald expect the American Left to come to his defense now that Brazil's Trump has him in the crosshairs? Why are authoritarians good for the US but bad for Brazil?
9
Given how you kept pushing the narrative that Donald Trump was no worse than the evil Hillary Clinton, it seems odd that you are complaining about a right wing neo-fascist leader.
Surely you know that President Bolsonaro is no worse than any of those "corrupt" Democrats in the US, right?
After all, you were the one pushing the notion that the Democrats are no better than politicians like Bolsonaro and Trump. It's hard to feel sympathy when the rest of us in the USA are likely about to experience the same thing in our Trump-empowered future.
21
@RJ You confuse Glenn's legitimate criticism of Hillary (she might have won if she listened) with Glenn preferring Trump to Hillary (he didn't).
1
Mr. Greenwald are you really now resorting to McCarthyism? Come on, you know that you are exaggerating the problems.
How do you like getting a taste of your own medicine?
7
As much as I believe journalists should be protected, and I regret you getting assaulted, I don’t consider you a journalist in the true meaning of the word. You became a mouthpiece for a wanted man and then blurred the distinction. I had a hard time with the way you presented the Snowden story; a man who belongs in a US court of law.
5
I suspect that a fraction of the posts responding negatively to this article are from people who think Augusto Nunes is Devin Nunes. Hey: there are many people called Nunes in the world! Calm down.
1
The tragedy of Brazil is that Bolsonaro is a fascist and Lula is an embezzler. The country needs a leader who can put an end to economic inequality and is also personally honest. Maybe Diogenes could help with his lantern.
2
wow there certainly is a lot of troll-like responses to this article... claiming lower crime rates, better economy etc... under Bolsonaro. Claims which have absolutely no basis in facts of course...
History will look favourable on Glenn. The only questions are how long it will take and what it will cost to Brazilian society...
5
This is the kind of violent, repressive extremism supported and promoted by Trump not only in Brazil but in Bolivia and even here in our own country. History repeatedly demonstrates that these extreme-right forces cannot be compromised with or expected to act within legal or civilized norms.
213
This 'journalist' was not able to respect a 70 years old senior while being inquired, an old school respectful journalist offended, and that reacted old school way. Bolsonaro is actually ensuring freedom of speech, and anyone that want correct information about Brazil, which economy is recovering after the socialist work party disaster (millions unemployed), should visit Bolsonaro's social networks, not the press, that is in constant campaign against him. Crime rate also dropped a lot. People has hope again in the economy and the country. Democracy is being ensured, that is the truth.
1
@John How is he ensuring freedom of speech by pulling the funding of publications that are critical of him and his actions? The economy was doing great under Lula for not only the poor but the middle class and wealthy, it does not need to recover. Bolsinaro already has death squads that have conducted extra judicial killings of youth in a favella. The world sees what he is doing your denials do not change the truth.
16
World-wide, it seems, we are reaching a point of having to make a very big decision about whether we continue to not only tolerate but effectively support speech that calls for violence, directly or implicit in its message - the Right to Free Speech, at least here in the USA - or will we treat it for what it is: a call for violence.
I understand curbing "free speech" is a slippery slope, but much like the old adage about Evil, that one may not be able to properly define it, but one certainly will recognize it when you see it.
For example, we know that yelling "fire" in a movie theater is a wrong thing to do and disallow it, even criminalize it.
Why is it considered free speech for politicians to put out violent and hateful rhetoric?
It makes absolutely no sense.
6
When there are no good guys to support as an opposition to the bad guys is this what you can call dystopia?
While rights and culture & civilization are discussed in the newspapers in Brazil the Amazon burns.
We see a United Nations that 50 years ago approached power as it argued against nationalism. The Amazon is Brazil's see.
This is what the Death Throes of the 100 Years Oil War looks like. An untouchable murderous populace ascribing to an ideology of nationalism, period. It's ours and you will not prevent us from destroying it.
1
What you endured should never be tolerated in any democratic society and that’s one reason why The Intercept needs to take an unambiguous tone of opposition and not moral equivalence in its reporting on authoritarian regimes now existing and soon to be places like the United States if Trump wins a second term.
Too often, reporting in your newspaper looks for purity in governing as if there is any similarity between Democrats and current Republicans.
I hope you win the battle in Brazil.
6
This is Trump's playbook: encouraging violence against journalists, dismissing factual reporting of corruption and malfeasance as "fake news", and sowing violent discord. Trump must view Bolsonaro as an aspirational role model, because he's certainly doing everything he can to emulate him.
5
Protesters in DC were attacked outside the Turkish Consulate but Turkish security and they weren't held accountable. Welcome to a new world order that your buddy Julian helped facilitate.
10
I was once a big fan of Greenwald. But as he moved left and made moderate Dems the focus of his ire and fire, he lost me. Four years ago, with support from Greenwald, I watched Bernie's supporters, the extreme left of the Democratic Party, shouting down one of the nobler men in Congress, Elijah Cummings. Even after the Convention they continued to focus their anger and yes, lies and distortions, on their own party's candidate, handing the election to the most racist, selfish, ignorant and anti-poor people Trump.
The unwillingness of the left to compromise and support a moderate like Clinton certainly helped elect Trump. Until the left learns to work with their natural allies instead of viciously attacking them, well-intended but radical and even hateful leftists like Greenwald help to bring thugs like Bolsonaro and Trump into power. We all end up suffering for Glenn and his fellows' destructive self-righteousness.
15
This is our future in the U-S if Trump has a second term.
5
It’s spreading. Journalists are threatened, attacked, jailed, killed for exposing the truth. Anyone actually telling the truth and holding the powerful accountable is called Fake News, an enemy of the state. Any attempt by other branches of the government to hold the leader accountable is called a witch hunt or a coup. Wild conspiracy theories replace facts.
It’s Bolsonaro in Brazil. Orban in Hungary. Erdogan in Turkey. Sisi in Egypt. MBS in Saudi Arabia. MBZ in UAE. Duterte in the Philippines. Modi in India. Netanyahu in Israel. And, of course, Putin in Russia.
It used to be that the President of the United States used to stand up for journalists and press freedom and against the autocrats and illiberal leaders.
But Trump supports the autocrats and leaders of illiberal democracies - he only supports those types of leaders because he is one of them. Leading the charge of propaganda and demagoguery, constant attacks on the press, constant attacks on the truth.
Now what happened to Glenn Greenwald was terrible. Encouraging and celebrating an attack on a journalist is outrageous. Instigating further attacks is criminal. Greenwald, however, once the hero of liberals and progressives, has become someone who believes that Russia’s interference in our 2016 election is a Hillary Clinton, corporatist Democratic hoax or conspiracy theory. That the CIA, intelligence agencies, State Department are all deep state not to be trusted. That Trump is a victim. Greenwald now is a Fox News hero.
6
Constitutional guarantees or not, once this kind of violence, intimidation and tyranny have been unleashed, it's not easy or even possible to restrain it, at least until a great deal of damage has already been done. And the damage Boslonaro is doing to the Amazonian rain forest is not reversible. Bolsonaro's government is the most dangerous regime yet in Brazil. Journalists and defenders of the environmental have a huge battle before them and I fear for them, but Brazil will need them more than ever now.
3
Mr. Greenwald, words fail to convey how much I respect you and how important your struggle is. Thank you for continuing to stand up for what is right--over and over again--at great personal cost. In a world that increasingly seems to have lost its moral compass, this struggle is more important than ever.
5
These are the early years of the climate change disaster, which coincides with the ending of the post WWII Pax Americana. Soon, people will realize that surviving will be all that matters. Risking your life for a dying world, which is violently seeking to forget truth, is quixotic.
Glen Greenwald doesn’t matter. He seeks the whirlwind, let him ride it. Soon, too soon, we will all have moved on in ways you can scarcely imagine.
3
Power, money, corruption. Those of us who still wave our constitution, our rights and freedom protected by law, must now deal with the horrible fact that we've been living in the matrix, a fantasy land. That Greenwald settled in Brazil initially thinking he'd escape the growing bigotry and surveillance networks of the US must be disheartening to him. Where does one go to just live and speak freely, which is really all that any of us want?
2
Glenn's life is in danger, seriously.
And this is America in 2021, if Trump is reelected, I fear.
1
@me Yes...he should leave immediately and come to Canada where we are holding off alt-right advances...for now...
2
How about Greenwald explaining why we hate him so much?
And this has nothing to do with Bolsonaro (although it is another reason why the current president's voters hate him). In fact, the population simply hates him because he tried to overthrow Sergio Moro, Deltan Dallagnol and weaken the "lava-jato" operation that fights endemic corruption in Brazil. This corruption was which was institutionalized by the populist government of Lula and his gang for 16 years. Every PT summit has been arrested. I mention here some achievements of the Lula / Dilma government: They plundered Petrobras, Correios, BNDES, diverted money from works of the World Cup and Olympics, FIES, as well as financing dictatorships (Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba). The consequence of this? The country enter an economic recession and unemployment reached 13 million people.
Finally, it should be noted that Greenwald and her husband are great supporters of Lula and the left.
8
You can hate the journalist all you want.
That's not an excuse for the success of what is becoming a totalitarian regime.
Your passive support of the violence against him is an indicator that you don't grasp the full picture.
And your need to explain why the population "hates" the journalist shows you are missing the point of the article.
And the journalist is a "him" not a "her."
For your sake, I'm going to assume that was an unintended typo.
4
@Ccarla
You have a dictatorship in Bolivia now, the result of planned coup which put in power, a puppet really, a woman who was not chosen by Congress as the Constitution stipulates, no quorum, no vote, and who had a military officer place the presidential sash on her shoulders. Immediately the army and police cruelly repressed thousands of indigenous demonstrators, killing at least 23. They used live bullets in order to terrorize the population. Then, without any mandate to do so, the so called "interim president" broke diplomatic relations with Venezuela, recognized that other puppet, Juan Guaidó and expelled 700 Cuban doctors. All of which in accordance with the wishes of the US. That is what exists in Bolivia today. The US mainstream media whitewashing the coup and trying to portray democratically elected Evo Morales as a "strongman",something he never was. That is why they got rid of him so easily.
Not too unlike the antifa attacks on right-wing speakers and crowds, as seen just recently at UC Berkeley.
Other examples of left wing violence are all over the place: Venezuela, Nicaragua and now Bolivia. Free speech applies to both sides of the isle, which Greenwald - an avowed admirer of venezuela - conveniently forgets.
2
Yeah.
The right-wingers are known for their peaceful methods.
Sir, your house is pure glass.
And your argument is empty.
4
Dear Mr. Greenwald,
I know you believe what is most important is not to address what is wrong with President Bolsonaro,but to discuss how corrupt his opponents are.
I really wish you would stop complaining about Bolsonaro and do what you do best -- attack his opponents for being too corrupt to defeat him.
Stop complaining about Bolsonaro because he's not any worse than the alternative. I know this because you always hold those who oppose authoritarians like Bolsonaro to a very high standard and if they can't meet it, well then you got what you deserve.
4
It didn’t look like much of an “attack” by the much older Nunes.
7
Thank you for this, Glenn. I saw a video of the TV interviewer attacking you. OMG. Keep yourself and your family safe. My thoughts are with you.
1
Let me suggest a reason why Augusto Nunes' cowardly assault on Mr Greenwald has received so much support from the Bolsonaro camp followers.
It's in large part because they fear (rightly) that GG's leaks have imperilled the Lava-Jato investigations led by Sergio Moro, judge-turned-minister.
Brazilians are inordinately proud of Lava-Jato, whose very existence rebuffs the claim (falsely) attributed to Charles DeGaulle, that Brazil is not a serious country. It has changed life in Brazil, because corrupt, wealthy, powerful men have been tried, convicted and jailed--something that had never happened in 500+ years of Brazilian history.
GG's The Intercept is seen by Brazil's right-wing as an ill-disguised Lula-Leftist attempt to torpedo their hero Moro, and to permit the resurrection of the scurrilous systemic corruption Lula monitored (if not masterminded) for a dozen years.
Moro's hero-worshippers simply don't care if Moro bent some rules, or if he was partial, because they believe that what he did was essential to changing Brazil for the better.
As the saying here goes: "to my friends, everything; to my enemies, the law."
So did Mr. Greenwald believe that repeatedly yelling "you are a coward" and wagging his fingers a couple of inches from a man's face, when they were both in a confined radio booth would result in no reaction?
Really?
Of course, the perfect response by Nunes would be to get up and attempt to walk away. But it is very clear from the video that Greenwald was the initial aggressor. His verbal assault and threatening stance, very much could be consider a crime in many jurisdictions.
8
My dear fellow readers: I am deeply conflicted reading this column. Yes, Bolsonaro is a thug and yes, it is absolutely unacceptable, when journalists are physically attacked for their views, whether live on air, or in dark alleyways.
And yet, all that said, I can't stop remembering that Glenn Greenwald, the author, just happens to be a reprehensible human being, who keeps calling Russia's interference in the 2016 US elections a "conspiracy theory" and claiming that "choosing between Trump's GOP and the Democrats is like choosing between Bashar Assad and ISIS"... I know, rationally, that in this particular situation I should focus on his newfound martyrdom and maybe put my problems with his loathsome views aside for a moment... I'm just struggling a little bit achieving such ideals of impartiality.
34
Greenwald demonizes the media and normalizes political violence in this country. I have no sympathy for him.
Greenwald still argues that Clinton colluded w/Russia in 2016 and that Democrats are hysterically exaggerating the anti-democratic excesses of Trumpism: “Democrats seem to have one tactic with their adversaries and enemies, which is to accuse them of being Russian agents” https://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/31/a_new_mccarthyism_greenwald_on_clinton
17
The media, for one strange reason, has been mercilessly attacking Brazil´s current President. He may not be the best option but he is certainly was a better choice than Mr Lula´s lackey Mr. Haddad.
How come Mr. Greenwald has not mentioned a word about the 16 years of rampant corruption under the government´s of Mr. Lula and Dilma???
4
@Fabio
I am not sure you know what you are talking about. Do you remember the Brazilian dictatorship? Do you have any basic knowledge of Brazilian history?
Bolsonaro is a criminal who is tied to militias and to the assassination of Marielle. A lot of Brazilians don't care because she was a black politician from a Rio favela.
And do you really think the current government isn't corrupt? Worse, corrupt and violent.
Brazilians get what they deserve for choosing a chauvinist, ignorant, truculent, homophobic, low IQ politician for president, a man who sold Brazil's Embraer for no good reason; a man who is now ending civil and labor rights and who is also destroying any social advances made during the Lula years. Say what you will but Lula lifted millions of Brazilians out of abject poverty.
When upper middle class Brazilians cry their crocodile tears because they have been mugged or robbed, I immediately think of karma. They care nothing about Brazil's forgotten and downtrodden. All the better if the poor have no rights so they can be more easily exploited while working in the homes of the rich.
Climate change will be much worse in Brazil after Bolsonaro has finished destroying the Amazon forest.
And remember, Trump won't give you a visa when you have to flee Brazil because he will say you come from a s..thole country and you're not white enough.
5
Is anyone really surprised! Wake up! The fight against fascism was always going to be rough. It was the last time we had to do it.
1
Bolsonaro is truly horrible but the "assault" on Glenn was that the other guy slapped him after Glenn repeatedly called him a coward. Given Greenwald's many mendacious defenses of Putin and tendentious accusations against those who rightly call out Russia's interference in our elections, not to mention his cowardly betrayal of Reality Winner, it is ludicrous for him to try to wrap himself in the flag of free journalism. He's a hack, doing the bidding of his master.
14
Perhaps Portuguese would be the better translation option for the story instead of Spanish.
8
Democracy as we know it, is by western standards a recent thing in Brazil. It obviously has not quite caught on yet. It’s also seem to have a hard time in many other countries.
Trump supporters are already killing Americans they hate (Latinos, Jews, African Americans, LGBT, etc.) using his rhetoric as their inspiration and justification, so it's not like things are any better here.
5
Glenn Greenwald is providing an invaluable service to Brazil. The intercept Brasil revealed the corruption of former judge Sergio Moro (now Bolsonaro's Minister of Justice), who falsely convicted Lula da Silva by manipulating and acting like a prosecutor to put Lula in prison, so he wouldn't be eligible to run in the last presidential elections. Moro and the other right wing members of the Lava Jato task force, had no intentions of fighting corruption in Brazil, all they wanted was to criminalize the left, the Workers Party, and Lula so the fascist Bolsonaro could win. Today, Brazil has the most violent, fascist and corrupt government (of which Sergio Morto is a central part of), that came to power under the false pretext of fighting corruption and with the full support of the Untied States government and DOJ.
6
You being attacked was wrong. Horrible. Nothing you did deserves or warrants an attack. But Glenn, you can be an instigating person with strong opinions that don't often allow for reasonable counterarguments. Nothing, again, that warrants violence, but it is true that you are abrasive as heck Glenn, so you don't HELP matters sometimes when it comes to building a civil discourse that you otherwise engage in.
3
@Myrna Hetzel What counter argument can there be for a president having familial ties to those accused of the murder of a political rival?
If you are wondering why nobody is questioning this artilcle, please note that I posted two comments questioning Glenn and they were not published, They were "moderated" for civility by the NYT.
4
What Mr. Greenwald describes in Brazil is what Trump and the Republicans are pushing for in the United States.
It can happen here. It is happening here. It is just not as far along as it is in Brazil.
Is it any wonder Trump admires and considers Bolsonaro a friend?
9
Glenn (Mr. Greenwald):
I do admire and respect your determination and courage and intuitively understand some of your deep feelings due to your partner as a legislator and the great investment you both have in Brazil and your home there.
Though safety and security are not guaranteed in the US, I am pretty sure you both may considered making a strategic temporary change, if only to live and fight on, perhaps again in Brazil once significant change occurs over time.
Best wishes, "This too shall pass!"
3
Simply replace "Bolsonaro" with "Trump", ramp up the rhetoric and willingness to openly celebrate violence against journalists or anyone else who opposes his will, and we are experiencing a parallel universe here in the US. The koolaid-drinking, hardcore followers of Trump are no less frothing at the mouth to see an end to LGTBQ compassion and the silencing of the real press in this country. Fascism grows in the absence of education and compassion, it feeds on fear and intolerance, and it promises a simplistic version of "law and order" that only the dimmest of minds can truly believe is superior to the messiness of a true democracy.
17
" I think you can understand that I can't compete by trying to debate this out with the public media when 90% of the media are totally corrupt," - Devin Nunes on Sunday.
This article could also serve as a sad preview of what to expect here in the United States if Trump manages to get reelected in 2020.
13
No one should be assaulted, on or off the air. No one should be threatened and intimidated by their government because of whom they love or what their family looks like.
I do, however, take issue with Greenwald calling himself a "journalist."
Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Greenwald's oeuvre understands that Greenwald is a polemacist with no interest in real journalism.
Greenwald's true principles and allegiances are not entirely clear to me. He seems to delight in attacking American Democratic politicians from the left, yet he champions Donald Trump's innocence and lack of corruption.
Greenwald's defenses of Trump (and Tulsi Gabbard) generally seem to come from a place of defending Russia, specifically Vladimir Putin. Greenwald seems especially adamant that the idea of Putin holding kompromat on Trump, and pulling his strings, is ludicrous.
Is it really?
Maybe Greenwald is just an old school lefty, nostalgic for the glory days of the Soviet Union.
Or maybe Greenwald just has more in common with Trump than we understand.
45
To answer your question, yes it is insane to think that Putin is pulling Trump's strings with kompromat. History and Occam's Razor tell us that Trump doesn't need any encouragement to be destructive or stupid. I have to laugh when people suggest that believing conspiracy theories is only a habit of the right. Greenwald is more of a journalist than you are, that's for sure.
2
@NFC
Thank you.
Personally, I find Greenwald to be the king of 'whataboutism', and an insufferable contrarian who puts politicians like Hillary Clinton and Obama in the same league as Putin, Orban and Erdogon.
He basically acts as FoxNews does for the GOP, except in his case for whatever Julian Assange's agenda is.
12
@dan
Anyone who has watched Trump with Putin has seen a deference that is never present with the man who practically shoved Queen Elizabeth out of the way so he could be in front.
Greenwald insisted that Trump was no worse than the Democrats.
So I am telling Greenwald right now - get over it. Balsonaro is no worse than any of the opposition party.
9
Greenwald’s assertion that the free press is in risk in Brazil is nonsense. Most of the big press and TV networks cast daily aspersions against Bolsonaro and his government. True, Bolsonaro vituperates, but it is a loud bark with no bite. Government expenses in publicity for the large state owned companies has been severely curtailed, compared to what they amounted to during the 16 years of the Worker’s Party plundering of Brazil, so we can say that without the former substantial government handouts press is now more than ever free to criticize. This is quite different from what former presidents Lula (until recently jailed for being convicted for corruption and money laundering) and Dilma Roussef attempted to do, which was passing legislation to promote “the social control of media”, aka censorship.
Nunes, the journalist who tried to slap Greenwald, was clearly out of line and the TV network apologized for the incident. What Greenwald forgot to tell is that he provoked that reaction by insistently shouting “coward” to Nunes.
Brazil is going through great pains to rid itself from timeless ingrained corruption, which the Worker’s Party took to unprecedented levels. Greenwald and his husband Miranda, by fiercely undermining the Car-Wash anticorruption operation, are widely perceived as pursuing a pro Worker’s Party agenda. Also, the fact that the latter is a representative in Congress for an extreme left wing party - PSOL - does not contribute to Greenwald’s credibility.
12
@José R. da Silveira
Provoke nothing. Everyone is responsible for their reactions. He didn't make him attack him. The attacker chose to do that.
1
Sounds an awful lot like Trump's behavior.
1
I'm definitely not a Greenwald fan, but he is in the right here. Perhaps he has some shred of regret about his efforts to denigrate and undermine the previous US administration, and has developed a more nuanced perspective in the interim; perhaps he'll be less hypocritical in his future reporting.
5
Bolsonaro and his supporters seem to be cut from the same cloth as Donald Trump and his supporters. And they are not the only deplorables out there. I guess that's evidence that "Democracy" has too many challenges that can't be met given the current level of human evolution.
3
Physically assaulting someone like that in that setting of all places is absolutely inexcusable. That is, of course, the biggest offense here. But Greenwald also has a history of vicious verbal attacks against his targets, and calling someone a coward to their face can is not a good move either. The real villain here is other guy, but Greenwald's rhetoric and how loosely he applies has been a problem for a while. He may have been right but when you insult someone like that to their face (not a great move for a professional journalist) a violent reaction is certainly within the realm of possibility. Again, by, FAR the biggest offense if the other guy trying to hit Glenn but Glenn's rhetoric and verbal assaults should not be ignored.
9
Violence against journalists is categorically NOT okay and not defensible.
At the same time, too many in the media have glibly excused the punching of alt-right pundit Richard Spencer, or suggested that teenager Nicholas Sandman, a student at Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, had a punchable face.
To be clear, we do not have a civil war raging in the US, and there are no actual Nazi death squads roaming around. No one has a punchable face, let alone a minor. And as much as undergraduates are being inculcated to believe that hate speech is equal to violence, it isn't. Violence is violence and it has no place in our political process. Incredibly, I suspect that one of the few respected figures on the political left who could still say this without being dismissed is Barack Obama. How is it that someone like Obama could espouse such antiquated views just 3 years after leaving office?
1
Press is free, but not free from criticism.
Glenn does not mention that he himself attacked journalists from Globo acusing them of corruption because they published suspect wrongdoings from your partner Miranda.
4
Obviously, the situation for journalists in Brazil isn't good. However, I watched the video & I have to say the more aggressive of the two was Greenwald. I mean, he gets right up in the Nunes's face calling him a coward. Sure, Nunes shouldn't have popped him, but notice that, after they were separated, Greenwald comes back at Nunes trying to land a haymaker. It's all ridiculous, like two old guys trying to punch each other out in there nursing home. As our stable genius of a president might say: Sad.
13
Exactly... and if you notice that as Greenwals is up in Nunes' face calling him a coward, Greenwald seems to initiate the first contact with his right hand ... what I saw was not what I expected to see after reading the piece. Any contact or motion to do so in a volatile confrontation is sure to lead to more physical acts.
5
Greenwald, you're saying that the result of you calling Nunes a coward two feet from his face was a little slap is "ASSAULTED LIVE ON AIR"? Ridiculous. You actually seemed to be the aggressor and took a swing yourself.
I think you're more in the wrong on this one.
17
@Steve
Even if I knew nothing of Greenwald, or did not hear the audio, I would have to agree with you, totally, that Greenwald was the agressor. Nunes reacted as most anyone would to someone in his face- and not even with a closed fist, but with a open-fisted parry. Big deal. To call that an assault is crying wolf and degrading to actual assault victims.
10
@Steve You should see how Nunes behaves presently with other journalists and public figures he does not like -- he called a journalist ``Gigolo of the homeless'' and insults people willy-nilly. A real piece of work. Its not about Greenwald: this is about the pro-Bolsonaro violence (physical and intellectual) of people like Augusto Nunes and the silent elite who supports him in exchange for a ``Miami lifestyle'' in a county where 40 million have one T-shirt, one pair of shorts and flip-flops and that's that. Alliance for Brazil should be called something like The National Socialist Workers Party Alliance of Brazil. Goons abound. Stay away, Steve, this is not your fight. You just like DJT, an entirely different story and are trying to justify aggression against Greenwald because he is against Trump. Relax. Not your problem. You're just a tourist, Brazilwise.
Solidarity to you and your husband, Glenn. So appreciate your courage to continue publishing in the face of such intimidation. You wrote:
“The president’s political movement regards journalists as obstacles and prefers intimidation and violence to civic discourse.”
I couldn’t help but be struck by how, after a decade-long smear campaign (See @NilsMelzer , U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture’s appearance on DemocracyNow! on November 22, just a few days ago), western media generated the “ick” factor through “fabrications” (Melzer’s word) to allow the imposition of intimidation and violence on Julian Assange.
I challenge all “liberals” to listen to Amy Goodman at the Nov 21 book launch of In Defense of Julian Assange at the late activist Michael Ratner’s home, and then listen to Nils Melzer on DemocracyNow! and see where their sympathies should lie.
1
I just recently watched "Citizen Four," in which Mr. Greenwald figured prominently. I thought then and, especially after this article, believe even more how brave he is for exposing wrongdoing at the highest levels of government knowing this risks his life and that of his family. There are no words to convey my deep appreciation for his commitment to transparency, justice and a free press. I thank you and hope that you and your family remain safe.
4
Americans all across the U.S. need to question our restaurants, burger chains, and beef distributors, make them confirm they don't buy their beef from Brazil and incentivize burning rainforest to make more cattle grazing land. Hundreds of thousands of acres of rainforest have been lost to cattle grazing over decades.... burger chains need to confirm to us they don't source beef there and sell to us secretly.
4
What will it take to permanently reform Brazil and oust corruption at all levels of government? It didn't start with Bolsonaro, so getting rid of him isn't the answer.
This is a one sided acount of a very ugly fight. GG was yelling at Nunes, who reacted to the verbal aggression in an inappropriate way.
Remember that GG is being accused of releasing STOLEN edited PRIVATE messages from Brazilian authorities in his internet site, what is a serious crime under Brazilian law. Many people in Brazil consider him a bandit, not a hero.
9
Glenn: As to your incident with this nitwit on the radio, why did you even stoop to go on his show? Further, quite frankly, you instigated the situation as much as he -- it truly took two to tango here.
However, as to the larger issue about press freedoms being threatened in Brazil and throughout the world by authoritarians, this is all very depressing. It is clear that these fascists -- of whom Trump is a soul-mate and supporter -- are seeking to end the world as we have known it. Where it all ends, who knows -- but I fear that the worst is yet to come. Dictators always have looked for an excuse to "call out the troops" on a pretext of a national emergency. Does anyone doubt that Trump would order our National Guard to shoot to kill at a demonstration in this country? You are very brave for the work you do and may you and your family be safe.
1
It is amazing that we have the fastest worldwide access to news and events in the history of the world, yet people are actually becoming more ill informed. The war on journalism and facts is a war against freedom loving people worldwide. People need to wake up and take this seriously. The veils need to be lifted and these people need to be exposed. Thank you for your work bringing these facts into the light.
1
Glenn Greenwald is a hero, he speaks truth about important subjects year after year. He has more backbone than Nunes will ever have.
2
I am very sorry to hear that Mr. Greenwald has found an authoritarian govt. he does not support.
24
We are in the 1930s. I just don't know the exact year, but if we don't turn things around in 2020, figure we are really close to 1939.
4
The US has been the moral conscience, although not always successful, for the post-WWII world. Now that the Trump GOP has completely destroyed every last vestige of morality in its party, and the party controls the Executive Branch, the Senate, and the federal judiciary, this is where we stand. There is no state left with the power of the US to act as a moral guide for the rest of the world.
2
I'm completely in Mr. Greenwald's corner on the issues, although I couldn't help noticing that Mr. Greenwald got in a punch at the end too...I suppose also that's why people who are debating fraught issues don't get too close to each other.
1
What Greenwald describes is fascism which is also unloosed in Bolivia and what the US is pushing in Venezuela and elsewhere just as Trump pushes it in our own country. These are the people that cannot be dealt with by civilized means or illusions of compromise. We either stand up to them or be victimized. This is a lesson of history that cannot be ignored.
375
@Al M
Bolivia and Venezuela are really bad examples. In both counties leftest politicians in charge of the countries are/were clearly not popular. They would not go when clearly the constitutions said they should go.
16
@Al M Just as a point of information: Venezuela is currently one of the most repressive and corrupt systems in the world. Maduro and his supporters are poster-boys and girls of running autocratic regimes at their worst. As for Morales in Bolivia, he violated his own constitution by trying to run for president again, completely ignoring the outcome of a referendum that prohibited him from doing so. To make matters worse, when he realised that the vote was not going in his direction, it was quickly altered to show the desired results. A classic of authoritarian behaviour. So, in the end, it does not matter from which political direction autocratic behaviours come. All that matters is that we oppose these behaviours and support those leaders that exhibit a genuine interest in establishing or restoring inclusive and free societies, where mutual respect, human decency, equal rights and opportunities rein supreme.
32
Wow, you're very brave. I myself have been targeted for various exposés I have written right here in the United States. The urge to cover up crimes is high wherever they occur; the desire for a pretext to repress free inquiry is also part of the global tyrants' bag of tricks.
The GOP (with Putin's help) strives to make the US like Bolsanaro's Brazil and Putin's Russia. They're well on their way to success.
3
Having viewed the assault/contretemps on youtube, neither Greeenwald or Nunes were examples of composure and civilized behavior. Did Glenn Greenwald believe that yelling "coward" incessantly would get no reaction? https://youtu.be/D4KHfkJSkjE
23
Glenn, be smart. You're not going to win this one. Move to another country.
2
This brutal government put in place to destroy the socialism of Lula and Vilma and the common people of Brazil in order to steal the oil and burn the rainforests must be defeated.
5
Bolsonaro, like Trump, is a half-wit and a coward. Only cowards and losers need oppression, corruption and lies to bolster their power because they cannot do it otherwise. They cheat to win.
But the ones who are truly guilty are their followers, the ones who give them power. Sometimes you turn the other cheek. In this case, he should have punched his lights out.
1
To be fair, and not to excuse what happened, you were screaming "Coward!" repeatedly in the man's face while seated about two feet away.
27
@Leora Saying It's always good to include "not to excuse what happened" when you are excusing what happened.
4
@Leora
I would be inclined to classify the "assault" as mutual combat.
4
The photo. Is too familiar.
Trump must be salivating at the things Bolsinnaro and his minions are getting away with.
1
Of the 12 million black Africans who survived the Trans- Atlantic trade ' voyage' a third aka 4 million were forcibly sent to Brazil. About half a million enslaved black Africans came to America.
Over half of Brazil's 200 million people are black Sub- Saharan African by American one- drop aka 1/32nd color aka race rules. Nigeria is the only country on Earth with more people of black African heritage.
Brazil didn't abolish slavery until 1888. Brazil did so without a Civil War.
Brazil has never had a Reconstruction and Civil Rights eras led by independent black churches and civic and civil rights organizations nor historical black colleges and universities.
Black African Brazilians are confined and defined by their color aka race to sports, entertainment and paramours.
Brazil's multiple aboriginal indigenous first nations pioneers have suffered similar exploitation by white Portuguese Roman Catholic ethnic sectarian supremacist ethnic cleansing terrorist colonial conquerors.
The autocratic tyranny of Bolsonaro goes beyond his white power and privilege.
4
I wonder when Trump is going to invite Bolsonaro to the White House?
2
I lived in Brazil for 13 years.
Many people I know voted for Bolsonaro even though they disagree with his authoritarian traits, anti-gay, guns, evangelical ties, etc.
They voted for him not because they like Bolsonaro but because of Lava Jato.
Lava Jato was the biggest corruption / theft in Brazil's history.
It was done by Lula and the PT.
And many of those people I know who voted for Bolsonaro voted for Lula the first time with hope he would be better than the rest of the politicians.
Only to see him way worse.
Maybe Mr. Greenwald could do a piece about how we got Bolsonaro.
83
@Independent
Precisely. I have long noticed an unfortunate lack of balance in coverage of non-Western entities. What you have highlighted about Brazil is reminiscent of the coverage of India.
Prior to Modi's election in 2014, India had exorbitant corruption in the National Cabinet with billions (in US dollars not Rupees) unaccounted for (e.g. 4G Scam, Coalgate, Commonwealth Games misappropriation of funds)
But since the time Modi has been elected, I have only seen the media focus on him possessing an alleged ideological slant. He is called "authoritarian" even though India just held a state election where the BJP didn't muster enough votes. He is called "majoritarian" even though India retains a secular constitution and has reaffirmed his commitment to upholding it. He is called "divisive" even though visits mosques, gurudwaras and churches.
Sometimes I give up with the lack of objectivity in the press. By insinuating that people who voted for Modi were "brainwashed" or trying to fulfil some "ideological agenda", the press has actually helped ensure that more people rally behind him. I would think the biggest asset has been the constant constant negative campaign, un-objective reporting to fuel a narrative and smear campaigns.
By the way, India became the fastest-growing (major) economy between 2014 and 2018, leapfrogged many places in the 'Ease of Doing Business' and added nearly US$ 1 trillion to GDP in the last 5 years alone. Clearly, this must be progress.
5
@Independent
If you subscribe to cyclical theory of history, a new synthesis should be on horizon, following the extremist Lula (thesis)( provided you believe Lula was extremist; some may argue that was synthesis, or as good as it can get, then Bolsonaro (antithesis), a temporary time of light and progress that will eventually falter, in one direction of extremism or the other, becoming the new thesis, and so on.
4
@Independent Even if we accept your argument regarding corruption, how does that justify authoritarian tactics and beating people?
28
Sorry to hear about political bad behavior in Brazil. We have our very own Nunes, who is a quarterback for the corrupt Republican team. He has not yet been intercepted. Seems like corruption and Nunes are endemic problems in both our countries.
2
@diderot Glenn digs our Nunes. He thinks he can enable fascist behavior here, and complain about it when its unleashed elsewhere.
4
Thank you for our stellar reporting over the years, Mr. Greenwald. May you and your family stay safe. And I pray that the neo-fascist wave in Brazil, Hungary, Poland, & elsewhere soon abates.
3
As an individual, I find Bolsonaro's anti-LGBT stance detestable and worthy of criticism frankly.
However, I am also skeptical of reporters in the Western press which paint a picture of a society being dysfunctional or "authoritarian" because a new leader has come to power.
What the writer could do in future articles to better argue his case of an increase in authoritarianism is to provide examples of specific policies passed by Bolsonaro which are authoritarian.
In the third paragraph, the writer describes a specific episode (which is condemnable frankly) but uses this individual episode to extrapolate and reach a conclusion that "press freedoms and the democratic order in Brazil" as a whole are "endangered".
While I am neither a fan of Bolsonaro nor his policies, I don't see how an individual physical assault by someone who supports him, reflects national-level repression by Bolsonaro himself. Nor does the writer provide any evidence of an explicit endorsement from Bolsonaro himself for the man who assaulted him, Augusto Nunes.
If a murderer votes Democrat or Republican in the US, is it a fault of either party if he/she kills someone with opposing political views? Then why extrapolate and implicate Bolsonaro in this incident?
While I staunchly oppose his policies like attempting to destroy the Amazon, I do believe coverage can be more balanced, less coloured, and less reflective of an automatic tendency to oppose and vilify.
7
@Jack Bolsonaro and his entourage have declared time and again that they would like Brazil to the times of the 1964-1982 regime. He stands for military power and strict control of the populace and intellectuals by a cocktail of intimidation, and judicial tools used to silence voices of dissent and journalism, like Glen Greenwald. Forget the Amazon: this guy is against basic human rights (not tree rights). Americans should experiment first what it is is to live under a military junta before singing the praises of corrupt fascist politicians abroad (why?). Maybe one day the chickens will come home to roost.
Alas, I spent many years under the previous military dictatorship (1964- 1982) before coming to the US. As Charles de Gaulle said in his famous trip to Brazil in the 1960's : ``Brazil the country of the future''. And it still remains the ``country of the future, 50 years later. Kudos to Glen Greenwald for having the courage to stand up against the various interconnected bad actor: militias, military police, Bolsonaro and his family and their silent accomplices in the upper-echelons who's silence is deafening. This government sends Brazil back 20 years at least.
17
Bolsonaro and Trump are similar in that they shun any external oversight that might check or limit their total control. Both are authoritarian wannabes, but they are two very different personalities. Trump is a man from outside the system who crashed the party (the Republican party) is now shaping it into his own sordid reality show. Bolsonaro, a former army captain, is very much a part of the system – the former military dictatorship – and this is what he wants Brazil to go back to. So much easier for him than dealing with a free press and pesky laws that get in the way.
Thank you Glenn Greenwald for your reporting and courage.
48
The loser is by absolutely NO means "outside the system". On the contrary, he is exactly what the vile GOP were only afraid to *say* they wanted to become. His party-cult had conspired for decades to get this, a perfect supporter of their Feralist Society and a pro-gun, pro-birth, anti-sanity, anti-civil rights horror.
Short of MAYBE McCain—who, lest we forget, used staged town-hall questioners to look moderate—their "Never-[loser]"ers never were.
Americans would do well to pay close attention to this Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come playing out in the southern stretch of our hemisphere.
7
He is following the Trump playbook. What doesn't flatter him or agree with him is fake news. They are both dictators in the making.
29
@JBonn
... in the making?!?!?!
3
Our prayers will be for the people of Brazil under siege by the right wing.
13
@Cliff Howell
Bolivia as well.
Why are citizens of so many seemingly disparate nations voting against democracy?
Only two comments appeared before mine. If this paucity indicates lack of interest in Brazil's society, then Americans must not care much about a nation with about two-thirds the population of our own, nor about the corollaries to having a president declare the press "the enemy of the American people".
3
@Andrew timing ... your comment is spot on re various nations voting against democracy, right along with far too many US citizens for trump (i hesitate to associate those who continue to support trump as citizens in the true meaning).
As for the paucity of comments I think we're the leading edge wrt this article but there will be many following.
Thanks for your comments
3
@Andrew
Growing inequality and the lack of established political institutions to respond in kind. In the US, DC is run by lobbyists fed unfettered corporate cash, and laws are written for and only for them.
These days the truth comes out. Of course, so do a bunch of conspiracies generated as chaff to confuse the issues. But, the facts cannot be concealed, they just get spun in a way that easily manipulates a great percentage of the people. Thus the election of Bolsonaro and Trump. Both liars and con-men, and unfortunately both very sadistic. The real issue is not that the truth will be buried, it is whether the people can pick the truth out of all of the lies. The fact that most are also cult members makes it somewhat unlikely that they could ever accept the truth.
4
Brazil, Bolivia, Chili there seems to be a pattern developing in South America regarding free speech and democracy.
2
@Siegfried Not to mention eastern europe where the Trumped up charges against Soros are from similar regimes using the same tactics as our own GOP/Trumpettes.
These are dark and dangerous times .... and we must work to have democracy prevail.
1
@Siegfried
You're forgetting America!
The free press, enshrined in our Constitution, is the mortal enemy of tyrants and autocrats. Putin, Trump, Bolsonaro, Orban, Duterte, the Bloody Prince, they cherish and push for autocracy, forgetting its colossal failure when its collapse led us to WWI and WWII. Of course they attack the free press, their abuses and corruption can only survive in darkness.
22
This is how you do real journalism: you take risks, big risks, and you take on power. Head on.
Keep this is mind, NYT readers, when you're being bombarded with constant brand-reinforcing messages from Celebrity Journalists and Pundits of all kinds. Ask yourself, exactly what has this person done in their lives to put their skin in the game?
And judge the rest accordingly.
37
A strong, vigorous FREE press is the worst enemy of would-be tyrants and dictators, who always have things they wish to hide... corruption in all its forms, secret deals, hidden agenda and self-centered motivations. When a leader starts attacking the media and declaring those whose profession it is to unearth the facts of all the topics they turn their attention to, calling them "Enemies of people", treasonous for daring to question their integrity and to point out legal limits to, and abuses of their authority... that's a good sign they are either dictators in progress, or wannabee strongmen grabbing as much power as they can get away with. The degree to which they succeed in their persecution of legitimate reporters and mass media in general... the greater the likelihood that mass mischief will be pursued with fewer and fewer checks on its brazenness and depth.
1
As America goes, so goes Brazil - and vice versa.
Nunes, Nunes. Where have I heard that name before? The behavior sounds familiar too. Oh yeah, America has it's own Nunes. Hopefully the Brazilian Nunes gets the what goes around treatment and is investigated - like the American Nunes is.
The video appears to show Mr. Greenwald throwing the first swing to feign-slap Nunes upon the head then his hand pushing Nunes' face to keep him at a distance for the expected counter punch from Nunes.
Nunes' uncivil discourse was truly despicable and a verbal assault of the kind that results in further violence and death threats out on the streets against people like Greenwald, with Nunes pleading innocence at the incitement he causes. Greenwald is brave not to back down from the likes of Nunes' cowardly insults and calls for governmental abuse of power to investigate Greenwald's family.
Amazing the return on investment Putin has achieved by easily and cheaply co-opting and corrupting the Republican party into the Republican junta - starting a self-perpetuating movement undermining nations around the world, their leadership, institutions, journalism and undermining basic humanity.
As America goes, so goes the rest of the world - to Putin's glee. From the old world order to Putin's new world disorder.
Greenwald's optimism of Constitutional guarantees may soon evaporate, as Republicans demonstrate Constitutional-nullification in its subversion of America ... as is now happening in Brazil.
3
@PAN Nunes is a common Portuguese surname. There's no reason to compare the two men just because they share a name as common as Smith. There are many examples of people acting poorly in both hemispheres.
@jeito
Agreed. I was just amused by the fact both had the same name and promote the same insults, fallacies and arrogance to the detriment and peril of their nations.
1
Another Trump classic - a would-be dictator who refuses to have his criminal autocratic powers and actions questioned by the citizens of his own country. Brazil can ill-afford this; it has been here before to no good end.
Already Bolsonaro has allowed gutting of massive swaths of the Rain Forest to profit Billionaires and himself and POLLUTE OUR ATMOSPHERE, further accelerating climate change and global warming. Future generations of children will certainly NOT laud his praises, if there ARE future generations.
Trump is even more dangerous than Bolsonaro, and the same applies to him, and us.
18
I have seized every opportunity to alert others who may be in a better position than I to implement change in this country, suffering from Bolsonaro's homophobic, racist, misogynistic policies. A person in a Miami parking lot with a Bolsonaro sticker on his car almost came to blows against me because I questioned his allegiance to this regime. (He also had a Trump sticker). Many Bolsonaro supporters flock to Miami to purchase apartments or homes (with cash), preparing for when the party is over, because the current situation will not be tolerated by the ordinary citizens of Brazil. This is how a Venezuela happens, and a Chavez applauded (Maduro tolerated), with ordinary people sick of being beaten down by the corrupt elite wielding clubs against them while accruing gold and land, relatively tax free.
12
If there is a braver journalist than Glenn Greenwald out there in the world, I can’t think of one.
To their shame the corporate media, except for Fox, never seem to have you on. You can’t be assumed to say all the right things. You always run the risk of embarrassing them.
20
Thank you Glenn Greenwald for your courageous journalism in the face of fascist forces that would plunder the world's largest rain forests, terrorize indigenous peoples, and silence free speech in the pursuit of power and wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. Keep shining a light on the truth.
13
I do not care for Greenwald's brand of journalism and consider it more advocacy for particular points of view, presented with a touch of drama and a dash of egoism. That said, he is exactly right in every point he makes in this commentary. I saw Nunes slap him, and I was completely stunned. Nunes was completely out of line in making Greenwald's family and choice of lifestyle a target of debate. The sad truth is that Bolsonaro, like his pal Trump, encourage violence, and he and his "filinhos de papai" sons are bigoted thugs that encourage that violence as well. Intimidation of respected journalists goes on down here, as does economic and regulatory retaliation against specific news outlets like Globo and the Folha de Sao Paulo. Bolsonaro and his cult copy Trump in all things, from the invocation of "fake news" to news they do not like; to provocation to mob violence against selected groups and individuals. More power to Greenwald and other journalists for standing up to those thugs.
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@Lldemats Well said ... not that I agree on all points but that's part of the art of living in a world of differing opinions ... and do I ever agree with your comments on Bolsonaro and his goons and all things Trump.
Thanks
@Lldemats
I agree with most of what you say, and appreciate the unique insights and facts that you offer, but I don't believe that Bolsonaro is consciously copying Trump. There's plenty of inherent problems in the deep structure that provides Bolsonaro with the high-handed, ruthless tactics he employs. Heard that he solves crime problems by periodically sending militia into the slums to shoot young there as if were vermin. Don't know if this is an accurate report, but it's plausible. You would know more. On the other hand, believe that Trump sees himself as "a strongman" and admires the "machismo" of autocrats who confuse ruthlessness with strength.
@Lldemats You should check out Greenwald's responses to critics on Twitter. Very much a calm collected journalist. Certainly never calls his opponents idiots and other inflammatory names
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They say that Brasil is the country of the future , and always will be.
I hope this drift toward violence isn’t part of our future...
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It becomes increasingly clear, as the cancer of Trumpist authoritarianism finds ascendency around the globe, that it will take a global movement of what might be called Hong Kongism -- people taking to the streets in the millions and braving official violence -- to bring democracy back.
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Bosonaro is what a country gets when it votes into power a violent authoritarian who will gladly take away the democratic tools of civil society that enabled his rise to power in the first place.
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@John LeBaron Hm. Reminds me of someone...
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Bolsonaro follows the same pattern as Trump: attacks to the media and cancelling subscriptions; but in a banana Republic he can do much more, as we can see.
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@Dr. Ricardo Garres Valdez
You ain't seen yet what Trump can (and will) do.
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@Dr. Ricardo Garres Valdez
With global warming and Trump the US is also becoming a great place to plant bananas.
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Please don’t refer to Brazil as a “banana republic”, it is offensive and condescending. Brazil is a wonderful country with excellent people. We have Bolsonaro now and some people don’t like him. But the PT is what got Brazil in the situation it is trying to extricate itself from.
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Emboldened by the tone set by the Trump administration Bolsanaro has, as have other despots around the world, upped his implementation of anti-democratic measures. All the more reason to understand the critical importance of leading by example and the absolute necessity of Democrats decisively prevailing in the 2020 elections. The consequences of a contrary result are chilling and simply unimaginable. Let's start with peaceful resistance now, by organizing a massive march on Washington D.C. in a show of support for the Impeachment Inquiry.
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Press freedom is under attack around the world; 10 journalists have been killed so far in 2019 according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Julian Assange is being held in horrible conditions and by some reports is near death in England. Authoritarian regimes, including the one right here, abhor a free press and will stop at nothing to silence their critics.
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@Grandpa Bob
Salient points, except Julian Assange is no journalist.
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Mr. Greenwald, I wish you and your family would move to a safer country. We need your voice and your reporting now more than ever.
I can no longer recommend a move to the US -- it's as dangerous or at least as uncertain here for journalists as it apparently is in Brazil -- but I'm sure there are many European and Nordic countries that would welcome you.
I understand the need to speak out and make a principled stand on this, but your safety and the safety of your children should be your highest priority.
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Bolsonaro frequently attacks segments of the press and news media -- much in the style of his informal role model, Donald Trump. Such attacks surely are improper and reprehensible. However, they are a far cry from an attempt to "silence the press".
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Where do you draw the line?
@Jorge L You're right, but his attitude is already unforgivable, because it is the first step towards silencing the press.
Truth to power.
Thank you, this Thanksgiving, to the brave and honest people who are journalists, risking their lives to bring us the truth.
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Things are getting more and more complicated here in Brazil. Thanks for the article, Glenn.
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Glenn Greenwald continues to be one of the world's great truth-tellers.
A brave man.
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@Thomas
No,no and no. Ask Reality Winner how brave Greenwald is. GG also contends there was no Russian interference in the 2016 election. He prefers Trump to HRC. His most frequent TV appearances are on Fox. None of this adds up to "brave."
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@Thomas
Yes, he and a few others like Jeremy Scahill demonstrate what real journalism looks like.
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@Billwilly Thank you for mentioning this! It's hard not to feel sympathy for Grenwald after this on-air assault - but we should not forget just how awful his views are. Anyone should feel welcome to do a do a quick internet search and/or check his Wikipedia entry. This is the person who went on record stating that "choosing between Trump and ... whatever you want to call it. Call it the deep state, call it the national security blob, call it the CIA and the Pentagon, [is like choosing between] Bashar al-Assad or al-Qaida or ISIS". Seriously? A great truth-teller and a brave man?
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