The origins of violence in Brazil

by Edson Vismona

The issue of violence is now a central theme of public debate in Brazil and will certainly be present in this year's election campaign. A survey conducted in late 2017 by the organizational consultancy growth, in partnership with the Instituto Datafolha, reveals that out of a universe of 2.422 respondents, 1.504 pointed to violence as the main factor of concern in our country. Only corruption obtained more indications (1.754) and it is worth noting that the two factors are interconnected.

In fact, violence has increased in recent years, the numbers do not lie. Currently, Brazil has the ninth highest homicide rate in the world, with 30,5 cases for every 100 thousand people, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the organization's study, of the 50 most violent cities in the world, 25 are in Brazil, 9 of which are capital cities, so they are not just isolated and poorer areas, without access to economic and social development.

A large part of the homicides registered in the country occur around drug trafficking, which has long been commanded by sophisticated organizations that are part of the so-called organized crime, which grows based on the illegal market not only of prohibited narcotic substances, but also of pirated, counterfeit or smuggled products. neighboring countries.

In 2014, the Movement for the Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market was instituted, coordinated by the National Forum Against Piracy and Illegality (FNCP) and by ETCO - Brazilian Institute of Competition Ethics. This movement was supported by more than 70 entities representing the industrial and commercial sectors from all over Brazil.

Considering only cigarettes, the most smuggled product, the numbers are impressive. The Federal Revenue of Foz do Iguaçu presented a balance of seizures of goods and vehicles carried out in 2017, which totaled approximately R $ 260 million (only in that region). This figure is 19% higher than that recorded in the previous year. Cigarette leads the ranking of illegality, corresponding to 38% of the goods seized last year. In total, 20 million packs of cigarettes were seized, which corresponds to around R $ 100 million and it is estimated that the illegal cigarette market moved more than R $ 6 billion in 2016.

These resources are used to finance criminal organizations. Drug trafficking, the most well-known and feared faction of the factions, is intertwined with smuggling, piracy, counterfeiting, arms and ammunition trafficking and fuels corruption and slave labor, generating profits and power. In the past four years, this phenomenon has taken on a dimension never seen before. The alarming events that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, Natal, on the borders, especially with Paraguay, and in prisons, show that it is urgent to articulate a counter-offensive by the State to stop this true financing wave of violence in Brazil.

As Defense Minister Raul Jungmann rightly said, "the Brazilian security system has failed". Public authorities cannot continue to act as if this phenomenon were something isolated and repeating old practices. Systemic and systematic initiatives from borders to cities, through highways with coordinated actions using information, intelligence and technology; deepen the occupation of areas dominated by crime with social and educational actions that should be treated as a priority and not as a rhetorical palliative. It is not acceptable for the public authorities to ignore one of the greatest concerns of Brazilians.

In this year of new general elections, the topic must be on the agenda of all candidates and feasible proposals must be discussed to advance the solution of the problem.

A nation is not built in a no-man's-land climate, where principles and values ​​are forgotten and authoritarianism is remembered as a possible way out. A consistent policy must be put in place quickly to face this problem with courage. In the 19th century, the French naturalist Saint-Hilaire coined in the book “Viagem à Província de São Paulo” a phrase that would become famous and would cause a lot of controversy: “Either Brazil ends the saúva, or the saúva ends Brazil”. Today, we can say without fear of making mistakes that violence is eating away at Brazil, like the saúva, causing fear and perplexity in everyone. It is an urgent agenda and requires firmness of purpose and courage in execution.

Brazil is bigger, we are obliged to face our destiny with responsibility and determination. Crime, corruption and incompetence must be put in place: marginal, and never as something understandable and bearable. In the next elections, we must work to have a noble activity in the exercise of politics that enhances principles and values ​​and not cleverness, coexistence and clumsiness. This must be the route to achieve the economic and social development that we so desire for our country and that, certainly, the Brazilian deserves.

Edson Vismona, is a lawyer, president of ETCO and the National Forum Against Piracy and illegality

Article Published in Jornal do Brasil on 25/03/2018