André Ventura. And his twitchy right arm
And while Portugal’s constitution prohibits “armed associations, military, militarized or paramilitary-type associations and organizations that are racist or display a fascist ideology”, there is Ventura being openly racist and making a salute with his right arm that looks more than a little Third Reich.
But that was in 2020: now, Ventura leads the third largest party in the Assembly of the Republic. So full of himself that he has called his Summit, which, rather than being “right wing”, will be far-right, and then some. We need only peruse the list of those invited, and those attending, to confirm that this is to be a gathering of the Euro Fash, plus a few hangers-on.
But here a problem enters: gathering all the Euro Fash together represents a monumental security risk. This the local media has acknowledged: “The presence in Lisbon of ‘various leaders of the world’s extreme right promises to be a big headache for PSP police who will have to guarantee security of those taking part in the summit between May 13 and 14’”. Do go on.
“So says Correio da Manhã tabloid today, following up on a video statement recorded by André Ventura, leader of Portugal’s right wing party CHEGA … CM suggests the Lisbon summit aims to emulate events put on by the ‘ultra conservative American movement’, championed by former president Donald Trump”. Ventura’s schtick contains the usual dishonest braggadocio.
“The presence of Jair Bolsonaro, Matteo Salvini and many other leaders of the European right, places Lisbon as one of the strongest new centers of the right in Europe and one of the world references in the fight against socialism; the fight against impoverishment, the fight against globalism, the fight against federalism, the fight against gender ideology, the fight against for the dignity of those who work for those who live at the cost of those who work”. Yawn.
It’s globalists, trans people, it’s people taking YOUR money, it’s someone else’s fault. So who’s coming? “Confirmed for the event already are former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro and Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, Geert Wilders of Holland’s Freedom Party, Tino Chupralia, president of Germany’s Alternative (AfD) party, and Santiago Abascal, of Spain’s Vox”.
Also, “Mr Trump has already been sent an invitation to the summit, as has France’s right wing icon Marine Le Pen”. No sign yet of former Brexit Party Oberscheissenführer Nigel “Thirsty” Farage, but give it time. And guess what? “CHEGA has been in touch with the ministry of internal administration, ‘which will have to articulate security’ for such VIP attendees”.
Yes, the party that blames it all on those sponging off taxpayers wants to, er, sponge off taxpayers to pay its security bill. Where will it take place? “The city’s Campo Pequeno was one of the first choices, but a decision is still dependent on whether or not this is considered ‘safe enough’ from the point of being able to guarantee attendees’ security”. That’s the Lisbon bull ring.
Which is adjacent to a very busy main road (the Avenida da República), close to one of Lisbon’s main transport hubs at Entrecampos, and houses a shopping mall whose tenants may not take kindly to losing a weekend’s takings just so the Euro Fash and their hangers-on can have a secure jolly.
And while one observer mused “We should not make this bigger than it is. Ventura is just inviting his I&D buddies and a Brazilian far-right entertainer who previously helped open a burger joint in Florida”, another made the obvious point: “Portuguese party Chega will hold a world summit in #Lisbon with several far-right party leaders. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini will attend. So a summit of Nazi Parties. What could go wrong?”. Hence the scepticism.
Will the City of Lisbon pay the security bill for The Man Who Would Be Salazar, the party leader who wants to proclaim the Fourth Republic, scratching the racist itch as he waves his right arm in a style that is not reminiscent of Nazism, honestly? Or is Ventura just on a self-publicity kick?
We may find out well before the weekend of May 13. More on this later.
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5 comments:
How easy it is to forget the fascism that swept across Europe and much of the Americas in the interwar years!
That, following a brief period of social democracy, fascism returned in the guise of populism from the late 1970s. It has worsened each year, the same old tedious mantras, racism, assassinations, genocides and warmongering. The same old paranoia. The same old imperial and colonial mindset that has wreaked such a murderous swathe through humanity.
And people are still mug enough to fall for it even with all the horrible lessons of history still fresh.
The returned British version is just as evil, perhaps worse because of its deluded hypocrisy. Which is why, given the present corrupt gang in Parliament, this country cannot expect anything other than more of the same.
History is repeating itself.
Recommended for those who aren't afraid to face reality: The Oxford Handbook of Fascism edited by R.J.B.Bosworth (Oxford University Press, 2010).
Which automatically excludes the Micawber Tendency.
Oo look....from 1947:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K6-cEAJZlE
In Italy (where, incredibly, using the English language is now to be fined) Sweden (where the hard right holds the balance of power), and Finland (where a popular centre left leader was beaten into third place by an ethno-nationalist party), a right-wing shift of the Overton window is apparent. In many cases we see racist factions allying with Neo-Liberal right-wingers.
In the UK, if you voted against Brexit you are not represented by either of the two main parties, who both offer slightly different flavours of neo-liberalism. If you are young it will be considerably harder for you to vote.
Even with the country falling apart, the Tories may well cling to power on a wave of populist sentiment and the aud of the Tory press.
The beauty of using immigrants as a means to gain votes is that it provides a limitless resource for populists, as it enables simplistic rhetoric to be applied ad infinitum. There will always be refugees, and thus always votes to be gained from voters.
William Shirer's superb The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich contains a page of these sobering words:
I have often felt a bitter sorrow at the thoughtof the German people, which is so estimable in the individual and so wretched in the generality...
- GOETHE
Hitler was the fate of Germany and this fate could not be stayed.
- FIELD-MARSHAL WALTHER BRAUCHITSCH, Commander in Chief of the German Army, 1938-41
A thousand years will pass and the guilt of Germany will not be erased
- HANS FRANK, Governor-General of Poland, before he was hanged at Nuremberg
Those who not remember the past are condemned to relive it.
- SANTAYANA
Except of course it wasn't just Germany. Then, as now, there's more than enough guilt to go round in Europe and North America.
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