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At the turn of the 21st century, Brazil was the rising star of Latin America. Its economy was skyrocketing, its middle class was growing, and its international role was growing in importance. But in recent years, the nation has stumbled. Brazil has entered an economic recession and has implemented strict austerity measures. A sitting president has been indicted and a former president jailed. The huge "Car Wash" investigation revealed that the political elite was diverting billions of dollars. Thus, when the National Museum of Brazil caught fire on Sunday, destroying up to 90% of its collection, many felt that the realities of the country had been strongly highlighted. Experts warned that the museum was in danger, but the years have resulted in additional budget cuts. But if the fire is a warning, will the government take it into account? "My biggest fear is that it is not an awakening, but an affirmation in a country where the past does not seem to be very important and where trust in government and institutions is very weak," he said. Thomas Trebat, director of the Global Center at Columbia University in Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro and Mexico
As a daughter, Cecilia Pereira's family has a habit of picnicking at the National Museum. Formerly a palace for Portuguese and Brazilian royalty, the majestic Museum Park was a respite from the poor district of Rio where Ms. Pereira grew up, just 15 minutes away.
"I've always wanted to go there," says Pereira, now a master candidate in botany. She finally entered the museum as an undergraduate, blown by exhibitions like the bones of a lazy prehistoric giant, or the five-ton meteorite that greeted visitors in the main entrance .
On Sunday, the National Museum burned with sufficient intensity to destroy up to 90% of its contents, including ancient Egyptian mummies, rare indigenous art works and the 11,500 year old "Luzia" , the oldest human skeleton discovered in America.
Pereira says that she can not find the words to describe it – and the loss of the country -.
What triggered the fire of the museum is still unknown. But the initial outcry, followed by a dwindling acceptance of the tragedy, underscores the dramatic dives Brazil has seen in recent years, whether it's recrudescence or corruption.
At the turn of the 21st century, Brazil was the rising star of Latin America. Its economy was skyrocketing, its middle class was growing, and its international presence was growing in importance. It invested more in education than almost all OECD or industrialized countries. It seems that extreme income inequality and a severe right-wing dictatorship have long since disappeared: Brazil was modernizing and leaving behind its past.
But over the past five years, the nation has begun to stumble, beginning an economic recession and implementing austerity measures that have hit hardest the poor and middle classes. The political elite, meanwhile, stole billions of dollars in their pockets. This week, the fire that ravaged the Rio Natural History Museum, which has marked thousands of years of history and culture, has shed light on the country's political and economic realities. The disaster has forced Brazilians to wonder whether the country will see the fire as a wake-up call or to see more and more institutions and national gains suffer from widespread corruption and political paralysis.
Alexandre Macieira / Riotur / AP
"My biggest fear is that it is not an awakening, but an affirmation in a country where the past does not seem to be very important and where trust in government and institutions is very weak," he said. Thomas Trebat, director of the Global Center at Columbia University in Rio de Janeiro.
"Brazil should be one of the big countries in the world," said Trebat. But, instead, people feel "late" and question their power to do anything about it.
Rollercoaster recession
Experts warned that the National Museum was a fire hazard for more than a decade. But its budget has steadily declined in the context of austerity policies aimed at accelerating economic recovery: from about $ 130,000 in 2013 to about $ 84,000 in 2017. In the first few years By 2018, he would have received only $ 13,000. Many say that a sprinkler system is an investment that could have slowed down the scope of the fire.
"We thought there might be a problem, it could have caught fire at any time, but we could not stop working," says Thaiana Garcia, who studied crustaceans in a lab.
For Ms. Garcia, the lack of investment is not just about the recession. "The government gives more value to science elsewhere than to what we produce here in Brazil," she says. "The first money they take away is money for universities and museums."
In recent years, Brazil has experienced numerous political and economic crises, with the indictment of a sitting president and the imprisonment of a former president. Large-scale anti-corruption protests swept the country in 2013 and the economy officially entered a historic recession the following year. Unemployment reached about 14% last year, according to government data. The hope that the temporary administration of President Michel Temer can put Brazil back on the economy has faded.
High-profile corruption scandals swept the country and involved leaders across Latin America. Now in its fifth year, the Operation Car Wash investigation, sprawling, shook the country, revealing a series of bribes by which politicians have embezzled billions of dollars. Last May, the Brazilians were speechless when they listened to President Temer's audio recordings that seemed to approve the JBS meat giant to continue paying bribes to senior politicians. Last September, a former minister was arrested after his fingerprints were found on bags containing more than $ 16 million in cash – enough to fund the museum for over a century, based on the budgets of these people. last years.
"People are tired of corruption," says Maurício Canêdo, a professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation School of Economics. "But people are also fed up with scarce public resources, either in terms of corruption or simply by spending different priorities than they think they should be."
Science inexpensively
None of the scandals are directly related to museum funding. However, for many scientists, the constant whirlwind of corruption contrasts painfully with the drastic budget cuts of their institutions. Academics and researchers panicked last year when funding for scientific and technological research was cut by 44%. It had already been reduced by more than half in the last five years. Last month, Brazil's university research organization said it would be forced to cut 200,000 research grants if it did not receive additional funding, threatening key economic sectors, such as agriculture.
"The fire is a tragic metaphor for what the Temer government represents in Brazil," said Waldeck Carneiro, the state representative of Rio de Janeiro for the country's main opposition, the Workers Party (PT).
According to a recent Datafolha survey, 62% of young Brazilians would leave the country if they had the opportunity.
Despite the recession, Brazil's growth is expected to remain weak and austerity measures are not expected to change anytime soon. "If there is no money, well, patience," Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing politician in next month's presidential elections, told the Brazilian media about the reallocation funds to prevent similar disasters.
The fire exposed Brazil as a nation that "does not appreciate its past, is not proud of its past, and is not inspired by the numbers of the past," says Trebat, highlighting the residual effects of colonialism. "Maybe that's a good thing in some ways, but it shows a general lack of self-esteem and confidence in what the country has been and what it could be."
Look to the front
Many put their hopes in the presidential elections next month. However, nearly 40% of voters support former imprisoned president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said "Lula", deemed inadmissible, suggesting that even if a replacement candidate is provided, the vote might not be the salvation they have desire.
"If you always have to start again, what is the situation in which people are constantly [in Brazil]you will not go anywhere, "says Trebat.
But those who love the National Museum are not ready to give up hope. The outcry of the international academic community and the solidarity of his colleagues gave Pereira the feeling that all is not lost.
The cause of the fire is in the study and there are calls for rebuilding the museum – even though much of the collection has disappeared, many say that it can never be really restored.
"We are in mourning for the loss of history, [but] I hope it will mean more efforts to better protect the national heritage, "she said. "The museum is not dead. It resists, it lasts.
