Lula da Silva during a press conference at the Workers Party headquarters,where he said he will remain a candidate for the presidencial elections in 2018. Sao Paulo, Brazil. July 13, 2017. Rahel Patrasso / Xinhua News Agency / PA Images. All rights reserved
The tenth edition of the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index ranks Brazil as a "flawed democracy." The magazine has lowered its score from 7.38 in 2014 to 6.86 in 2017. Although one should be skeptical about the taken-for-granted liberal notion of democracy and although one wonders if "flawed" is the correct word for an authoritarian, sexist and racist society as Brazil, the index presents useful tips to read the current crisis that Latin American's largest ‘democracy' is facing once again.
Contrary to the past, now there is no military junta, the Congress is working just fine, and the media enjoys greater freedom. This time, the main threat is posed by part of the judiciary, a dangerous well-born, conservative, and mainly white special class of homens bons (good men) that have taken in its hands the "civilizing mission" to free the country from corruption. The mission seems noble – after all who would be against it within a context in which the political system is discredited?
