“That Word, Freedom”

Unauthorized, hasty subtitling of liberdade, aquela palavra, a documentary on the firing of Globo journalists and editors at the bidding of Minas Gerais governor Aecio Neves and his sister, Andrea Neves.

With the connivance of the station manager in Minas — a situation that is reminding a lot of observers of the bad old days.

Both these outstanding, humble salt-of-the-earth servants of the people are offspring of former president-elect Tancredo Neves, the one who died before taking office, leaving José Sarney to take his place.

The governor’s press secretary is named Heloisa Neves. A relative?

What do you think?

José Sarney’s daughter, Roseana, is currently running for governor of Maranhão. One of the principal figures in the congressional inquiries into corruption: ACM Neto, the grandson of Antônio Carlos Magalhães.

Starting to get the picture?

Hypothesis: Political power inherited from family members is bad for democracy. First corroborating case that comes to mind: The Bush family. See also the Houses of Bourbon and Saud. The book may still be open on the Windsors. You be the judge.
This Globo exec appears to be an utterly despicable human being. May his likeness live on forever as a giant-headed Recife carnaval puppet, with a bloco costumed as the indignant mob from Young Frankenstein driving him out of town with whips and pitchforks.
These are draft subtitles, typed out in a hurry, so if you find errors, reach me and I will correct them. Tá?

Big error: the fellow from Globo SP was not an “executive assistant” but an “executive editor.”

It’s difficult to translate the job titles of folks because newsrooms are organized differently here, but the “director of journalism” is roughly equivalent to editor in chief: he is supposed to live entirely on this side of the firewall between newsroom editorial and the business side — a professional standard the fellow reports he was assigned to make sure was being observed when he was reassigned to Globo Minas.