Brazilian TU Delft students are worried

It is turbulent times in Brazil. Since 2013, the country has found itself in a major financial crisis and the cases of corruption are piling up. During the presidential elections in October, Fernando Haddad and Jair Bolsonaro, seen by many as extreme left and extreme right respectively, fought it out. Bolsonaro won with 55.7% of the votes.

Complicated
How do Brazilian students at TU Delft view the developments in their country? Marcello Matias, Rafael Costa, Clarissa Justino and Andreia Marques shared their stories with Delta. “Brazil is not for amateurs,” says complex systems engineering and management master’s student, Rafael Costa. “That is the best synopsis of Brazil I have ever heard. It is a country where everything can become very complicated.”

Corruption and public safety are the two main themes, say the students. The economic crisis has created high rates of unemployment. The citizens wanted change, says Marcello Matias. Whatever that change may be. It led to Bolsonaro being elected, who promised change. Clarissa Justino, PhD student at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences says that “People acted emotionally and not rationally. Many citizens are not educated and blindly accept what they see and read in the media.”

Army
In terms of education, the new President has hardly anything on the agenda, believes Justino. The only thing that Bolsonaro has emphasised over the last few months is that he wants to fight indoctrination by banning teachers from discussing politics in the classroom. “He thinks that the army is the answer to everything,” says Andreia Marques, PhD at the Faculty of Applied Physics.

“As a researcher, a government that attaches no value to science and technology frightens me.”

Both PhD students are intending to return to Brazil. But not without trepidation. “As a researcher, a government that attaches no value to science and technology frightens me,” says Justino. She believes that the supreme court and public prosecutors are very watchful for injustices. She hopes that they and the critical media will express critique.

Matias was not planning to return in the near future. Just like Rafael Costa, he sees more employment opportunities in the Netherlands. “Given the recent developments, I would rather stay here.” He is concerned about the social problems in Brazil and predicts more violence against the poor, women and LGBTI people.

Exchange
Patricia Osseweijer, Director of BE-Basic, the TU Delft exchange programme between Dutch and Brazilian students, does not know if the new political regime will have an impact on the exchange programme. She plans to be extra careful about which entities to work with. “Bolsonaro has made some tough statements that go against democracy and freedom. Time will show how he will lead the country.”