That life often imitates art is already known, but it didn’t have to be so realistic. It seems that the Brazilian is a time traveler. In fact, the thing that is so fantastic is that some even feel like characters in Back to The Future, a 1985 film directed by Robert Zemekis and co-produced by Steven Spielberg.

If returned in time, to the first half of the 21st Century, he would never have imagined that the military would return to power by democratic means, that leftist populism would be driven away by strong popular demand, and that a young federal judge supported by robust evidence would condemn and send to jail a former president of the republic, for crimes of corruption, money laundering and criminal organization.  

This Brazilian, this would-be time traveler, would be surprised to land in 2019 and see that the Brazilian flag was still green and yellow, that the USA and Israel have friendly ties, while Venezuela is struggling to regain its Democracy and Cuba has collected its “doctors” stationed in Brazil before being having them exposed as fraudulent medical practitioners which was representative of the Cuban doctor’s program. 

This time traveler would be astonished to learn that days before the presidential elections the future president was a victim of an assassination attempt which resulted in several major surgeries. Certainly, the time traveler would be astonished to arrive on the day of his inauguration and hear the First Lady’s speech in defense of family values, the rights of the less capable, sealing the occasion with a kiss of hope.  

The man would probably wonder: will Brazilians be able to remain mobilized, indicating directions, clamoring for action, following the facts and pointing out faults? If the answer is yes, I would conclude that it will be possible to build a country in which one is proud and leave that pride as an inheritance to their children and grandchildren.

The Antagonist, an e-news outlet announces Lula has been sentenced to an additional 12 years and 11 months of jail time. Now this time traveler is stupefied …  

(*) José Roberto de Souza Dias, PHD. Former Director of the National Transit Department – Denatran, Brazil, Former Executive Secretary of Gerat of the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic, Doctor the University of São Paulo.  Doctor Honoris Causa by Time Faculty of Social Sciences of Florianopolis – Cesusc. 

Translation:Charles Akari Saba and Rosa Maria Donini Souza Dias