Alex Rodrigues          Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília - Luciano Dias, a professor of political science, says that the apolitical nature of Wednesday’s Independence Day March Against Corruption is a challenge for the group as they try to turn popular discontent into something capable of creating real political transformations. Dias says that although the March Against Corruption is an important initiative, such a vague, broad attack (“crítica genérica”) on corruption is not very efficient.

“The march was important, no doubt about that. The question is whether or not the protest can become a political movement. That will require clear objectives such as new anticorruption legislation,” said Dias.

Dias went on to point out the difference between the march and other initiatives that did not stir up similar popular support, such as attempts by opposition parties in Congress to install parliamentary investigative committees (“CPIs”). “The fact is that the opposition does not have legitimacy. It is simply not a legitimate leader of any movement against corruption for the simple reason that its members also have their own problems with corruption,” declared Dias.

As for the support of the March Against Corruption by important civic-social organizations such as the Federal Bar Association (“OAB”), the Catholic Bishop’s Conference (“CNBB”) and the Brazilian Press Association (“ABI”), Dias makes a point of explaining that they were all Johnny-come-latelies and did not provide any material aid. According to Dias, the protesters themselves paid for some 20,000 pamphlets and made their own anti-corruption banners (with their own paint and cloth).

According to one protester, “At all times we emphasized the responsibility of each person. It was understood that the only way to make changes was to unite the people. Anybody could see that everybody was unhappy with the situation and there was an enormous desire for some big changes.”

Due to the success of the march and the attention from the media, even international news outlets, Luciana Kalil, one of the organizers, says people have been saying she should get into politics, maybe run for office. “I think it is easier for me to help us get one million signatures on a petition for a new law than to be elected to the Chamber of Deputies and drum up a majority there. It is easier to mobilize the people,” she declared.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Organizadores de marcha querem recolher assinaturas para mudar leis e inibir corrupção