Folks,
Greetings from the Burgh, where I am taking a light day after working all weekend. However, there is big news in Brasil and the shutdown that we wanted to inform you about.
Trump Fanboys Lula & Angers Bolsonaro Supporters
Yesterday, Trump and Brazilian President Lula met at an event in Malaysia. Trump repeatedly asked Lula about his time in prison and told him that he was impressed by his ability to come back and defeat Bolsonaro in the 2022 election.
After meeting with Lula, Trump stood in front of the press corps and told them in viral remarks that he wanted to wish a happy birthday to President Lula.
“He’s a very vigorous guy recently and I was very impressed. Today is his birthday, so happy birthday,” Trump told reporters.
The praise from Trump freaked out many of Bolsonaro’s supporters, who felt abandoned by Trump so profusely praising Lula.
Watch Trump’s full remarks here.
64 Dead in Most Violent Police Raid in Rio de Janeiro History
Today, thousands of military police raided favelas in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro. Over 64 were killed, including four policemen, in gun battles that lasted all day. It’s unclear how many of those killed were civilians not involved in the drug trade, but early reports indicate that many innocent bystanders were killed.
Progressive leaders in Rio de Janeiro denounced the raids. From the Guardian:
Glória Alves, a 65-year-old resident of an area of Alemão called Palmeiras, said she was woken shortly after 4am by her barking dog. Alves went into her bathroom, “and there was this volley of shots – so, so many shots. It was horrible”, she said. The shooting continued around her home throughout the day. “We have no idea what time this will all finish,” she added. “It hasn’t stopped. It isn’t over. And I don’t know what time it will end.”
Human rights activists and opposition politicians voiced outrage at the historic day of bloodshed. “What is happening in Alemão and in Penha isn’t an operation – it’s a state-sponsored massacre,” tweeted Lucia Marina dos Santos, a state congress member for the leftwing Worker’s party (PT). Santos accused authorities of turning Rio’s favelas into “war zones” as part of their failed “war on drugs”.
For more, check out the Guardian.
Donate to Help Us Cover Brazilian-American Solidarity
While most publications on the left largely ignored foreign relations, Payday has dedicated significant resources to cover what’s happening in Brasil. We covered Lula’s election on the ground, the assassination of Marielle Franco, and the trade war between the two countries.
AFGE Pushes Democrats to Abandon Their Position in Shutdown
Yesterday, the American Federation of Government Employees released a statement calling on Democrats to abandon their current position on the government shutdown and agree to the Republican position of passing a clean continuing resolution.
“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” American Federation of Government Employees President Everett Kelley wrote in a statement first shared with NBC News. “It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”
Alright folks that’s for today. Keep sending tips, story ideas, comments and complaints to melk@paydayreport.com
