Partners of the Americas Illinois-Sao Paulo Chapter hosts talk about elections in Brazil
Organization is bringing two experts to Chicago on September 15 to discuss political corruption, economic recession, and rising violence in the country as Brazilians get ready to vote for president.
Chicago, IL – On October 7, Brazilian voters will go to the polls to choose the country’s next president. As Brazil struggles to get out of economic recession and a deep political crisis, while fighting against rising urban violence, the electorate is extremely polarized. About 30% of voters remain undecided on who would be the best candidate to get the country back on track.
Brazil’s foreign ministry estimates that more than 1,4 million Brazilians live in the United States, and they want to take part in this debate. The organization Partners of the Americas Illinois-São Paulo Chapter will host an event on September 15 to talk about the election and the major issues facing voters. For the next edition of Partners Talk Series, the nonprofit has invited two Brazilian experts — Journalist Amanda Pinheiro and Professor of History Aluizio Witiuk — to discuss the most pressing topics in this election and answer questions from the audience. The talk will be held in Portuguese and moderated by Ben Penglase, professor of Anthropology at Loyola University (see bios below).
Many candidates, hopeful voters
For the first time in 24 years, Brazil may choose a third-party candidate and reject the two main political parties: Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) and the Worker’s Party (PT), both greatly weakened by Lava Jato corruption investigations. With just a few weeks until the elections, the field is wide open. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, imprisoned since April, had his presidential candidacy for PT vetoed by the top electoral court. Despite his recent disqualification, Lula still leads the polls, followed by the far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberty Party (PSL), often referred to as “Brazil’s Trump.” Former Environmental Minister Marina Silva from Sustainability Party comes in third. PSDB’s Geraldo Alckmin is currently not garnering enough support to make it to the second round.
Despite the complex and increasingly polarized political scene in Brazil, the President of Partners of the Americas Illinois-São Paulo Chapter Carla da Silva underscored that this will be a nonpartisan debate where the goal is to help better inform the Brazilian population in Illinois.
“We want to engage all Brazilians living in Chicago in the issues facing our country. Voting in Brazil is mandatory, so Brazilians living abroad will participate equally in this important election,” Da Silva said. “Given the political turmoil in Brazil, these elections will be crucial to determining the path that will be paved for future generations. We want to discuss what each candidate represents, so voters can make well-informed decisions.”
Partners Talk Series 2018 — Presidential Elections in Brazil
When: 2 p.m. September 15 2018 *hors d’oeuvres will be served after the panel.
Where: Loyola University – Cuneo Hall – 6430 N. Kenmore Ave Room 109, Chicago, IL
Tickets can be purchased here for $7 each, or two for $10.
Talk in Portuguese; Q&A in Portuguese and English
Panelists:
Amanda Pinheiro is a journalist from Rio de Janeiro. She’s worked in Rio for major newspapers such as O Globo and O Dia, covering politics. She is currently a PhD student of Global Studies at the University of California-Santa Barbara. Pinheiro investigates the effects of globalization in transforming emerging countries, focusing on the consequences of this process on migrants in the Southern Hemisphere.
Aluizio Witiuk is a researcher and professor of History at University of Contestado and an advisor of communications at the Regional Education Center of União da Vitória, Paraná. Witiuk hosts a program about history at radio station CBN Radio Vale do Iguaçu and hosts and produces the program Caminho da Universidade on TV Milenium. He creates and coordinates social and educational projects involving educational institutions, the Brazilian Army and civil community in the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina.
Moderator:
Ben Penglase has a PHD from Harvard University and is currently an anthropologist and professor at Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on the cultural construction of urban violence and the feeling of insecurity in the poorer urban areas of Rio. Penglase served as a researcher for Human Rights Watch, when he wrote a report on police violence in three cities in Brazil. His most recent book is “Living with Insecurity in a Brazilian Favela: Urban Violence and Daily Life.”
Partners of the Americas Illinois-Sao Paulo is a 501 (3)(c) nonprofit volunteer organization that promotes cultural and social activities between the American and the Brazilian states. Learn more at www.illinois-saopaulo-partners.org.
Media contact:
Alex Miranda
Phone: 312-888-6075
Email: alex@illinois-saopaulo-partners.org