Ciro and cynicism

The end of Ciro Gomes did not happen gradually, step by step, like a disease that has been killing its victim little by little...

< Young men, girlfriends and podrugas >

It does not seem right to us, as opponents of the PDT mistakenly do (I myself have already done so), in dishonor to classical philosophy and its splendor, to associate the name Cyrism [by mere similarity of phonemes] with that of the fantastic Cynic school, whose maximum reference is the absolutely unique Diogenes of Sinope!

Despite old Ciro's antics, jokes and provocations – excellent for a barbecue in Brasilia –, comparing a man who barely babbles Philosophy with the genius who refuted Plato (and who even mocked Alexander the Great) is not, to speak theologically, a serious kind of sin? Equally, it is certainly very unworthy that the colonel from Ceará is praised as a nationalist, since, in 1994 (while he was Minister of Mr. Itamar Franco), he did everything to [and really proved] to follow the PSDB primer to the letter; that is, Mr. Ciro defends Social Democracy with strong neoliberal traits.

In between, our story needs to go back a little in time to progress later: Ciro Gomes began his career being – as I call it in pejorative language – a young man from Tasso Jereissati. He was only 36 years old when Minister and in Politics, speaking in a crude analogy, it is as if the person from Ceará were a "buchudo boy" (as they say here in the northeast); so much so that, before accepting President Itamar's invitation, Ciro Gomes asked for a "blessing" for Sérgio Machado, who two years ago was caught saying to Renan Calheiros, in audio tapped, legally: "Renan, I joined the PSDB for 10 years, there is no one left".

Let's go to Ciro Ministro and, at this point, our explanation will reach its most technical (perhaps most boring) moment, but in concurrence, also more important so that the pedestrian, clouded by the wonderful colors induced by the pheromones of love, and who still sees, in Ciro Gomes, perfection in person, maybe, given the unequivocal visualization of clearer and more distinct logic, analyze Ciro's practical actions as Minister in 1994; and finally kill your love, in case the reader is really a nationalist. If the eyes or ears are Social Democrats: "be happily ever after".

However, I wish to prove that I am not Iago and your excellencies (also) will not be the personification of Othello! Your sufferings as a lover will be cooled by the fatal awareness of the falsehood of the unfaithful lover...

One last addendum about having any pet politician: it is not possible for a man to defend a candidate of his party with more vigor, love and faith than he would defend his own father! What we see today (and not only now, but traditionally in Brazil) is that there are practically no Nationalists!

There are, yes, in excess, young men of caciques, girlfriends of Americans and rotten Russians! It is indecent to defend a man the way militancy defends presidential candidates. It is utterly undignified for a gentleman to behave in such a way!

The militants pretend so many things, lie so much for "democratic centralism"; Couldn't they – at least – pretend to be men too, please?

I see Brazilians struggling to date Russians and Americans, while I (for my part) want to kick ass – or have the potential to – both. Am I clear, compatriots?

In the first place, Ciro Gomes made privatizations and inflation a priority, as well reported by Folha de São Paulo; and the promises to control inflation were fulfilled in the most rigorous way possible.

To begin with, Ciro Gomes cut credit for the poorest population. In the old days (young people won't remember), the use of credit cards was scarce and the neediest population, as well as the middle class, resorted to the credit card system, buying home appliances in installments (with the bank slip) by the selling company itself. However, Ciro reduced the installment of the appliances from 12 to just 04 months. In order to control inflation at any cost, Ciro Gomes adopted economic strangulation, that is, taking away the purchasing power of the population that most needs it, so that, thus, inflationary rates do not grow and, consequently, do not cause negative propaganda on the eve of the elections, whose result would make the sociologist FHC victorious.

Furthermore, the possibility of financing vehicles in 50 months was prohibited, being restricted to only 12 months, breaking companies in the consortium sector. Result: an estimated 20,000 unemployed in just that stroke. This is the Cirão of the masses!

The justification for making this controversial decision is that the low-income buyer was a sucker for consuming too much and, therefore, had to take severe restrictions.

As for the promise of privatization (ironically, but not in the cynical sense, which sought virtue), Ciro Gomes [who today says he is a nationalist and even says he wants to renationalize some companies] was not only – in that period – in favor of those same privatizations, as he also signed the privatization of Embraer in the exact manner that Paulo Guedes wanted to privatize Eletrobras, that is, with the "Golden Share" device.

Ciro Gomes, therefore, as Minister of Itamar Franco, in 116 days, achieved an effectiveness of privatization, even better than Paulo Guedes so far. As a "stick man", Ciro is very good; and it is also necessary to remember (and the live wheel of the same year, 1994, does not let us forget) that the then Minister of Economy was in favor of the privatization of Vale, Banespa and other banks; he even thought the existence of state banks was an aberration; and he also supported the privatization of Telebrás, only changing his mind when he changed party and bosses.

However, what hurts most in the heart (and in the minds of true nationalists) is the fact that Ciro Gomes has, without any scruples, lowered import rates, causing, in the four subsequent years, not only an extremely high number of bankruptcies of national companies , but also a negative trade balance. The pedestrian reader, still with the last vestiges of passion, could say that his idol was in office for only three months, and that the rest of the government were other ministers in charge of the portfolio, with FHC leading them as president. However, the real plan was drawn up by Ciro, together with FHC and other thoughtful PSDB gentlemen; and all of them are unanimous in saying that the plan was a success, that is, that the adopted method was followed and that the intended results were obtained.

The Roda Viva program also does not let me lie when Ciro Gomes states, in a loud and clear tone, that corporate nationalism was the worst thing that ever existed in Brazil. Now, my friends (whispering in the ears of pedestrians), Leonel Brizola himself, a top reference for you, accused the appointment of the Minister from Ceará to the Treasury portfolio as an act of electoral embezzlement that aimed only at the victory of Fernando Henrique Cardoso and not the good of the population.

Despite all this mess, in the view of the nationalists, it is clear that what happened to the inspiring muse of this chronicle was not her decline, but, on the contrary (due to the apparent success of the royal plan and the prestige of the liberal theories subsidized by the Consensus of Washington), the influence of Mr. Ciro Gomes increased more and more, including because, in the meantime, the former Minister met and married the charming Patrícia Pillar, a famous actress on the most watched television network in Brazil. Everything seemed to conspire in favor of the man from Ceará until that fateful day, on which he was condemned, like Prometheus (albeit for a futile reason), to live the human eternity that remains for him imprisoned in a single day: that day when a sphinx incarnated in the form as a journalist he challenges Ciro Gomes and the latter, defenseless by his own narcissism, is devoured.

I explain this day better and use a little poetic license to understand the situation:

That morning, Ciro Gomes woke up with all the possibilities of fate in his lap and, in fact, even the sun seemed to smile on him. When he opens the window, the light is intense, but the incidence on his body is mild. Everything was inviting, everything was ready for him to be President and his young, beautiful wife to become the most elegant First Lady that ever lived. Ciro would be the "Brazilian Perón". All of South America would bow down if he correctly answered the riddle that, at the end of that day, would be posed. He could have answered that Patrícia Pillar's presence in his life made him a better man, that the intelligence of Brazilian women was capable of changing the world through education, mentoring the young Brazilians he loved and who, therefore, was happy. However, contrary to all predictions, Ciro Gomes gives an unusual answer; and at that moment, her darker, childish, misogynistic, idiotic and (why not say) bestial side appears, implying: "Patricia Pillar's role is in my bed".

Therefore, the end of Ciro Gomes, the end of the politician, evidently, did not happen gradually, step by step, like a disease that has been killing its victim little by little. Far from that, he was totally enraptured in such a way that he doesn't even know, until today, that his career is over, because he is a spectrum, a hologram, a character of what could be... Perhaps, his conscience, his true conscience, the one that dwells in every human being, no matter how bad he is, there, beautiful and naked, even if kidnapped, mistreated, even if repressed, hurt, mutilated by vanity, looking on without saying anything, can be understood by the following: "Ciro, your time has passed!".

The fact is that Ciro Gomes never knew how to stand on his own feet and fate proved it. Like the young man of Tasso Jereissati, Sérgio Machado, Steinbruch and PSDB, our protagonist was exceptional. The sphinx was not to blame, the journalist was not to blame, Patricia Pillar was not to blame, nor was Ciro or our voters to blame. Simply, the gentleman in question is not prepared for the mission he wants. Ciro's function, his social function by nature, is to be a "stick man", because he cannot, under any circumstances, make decisions for himself. His story shows this, with a lot of pain.

As for the laughter, antics and lies that we hear in a PDT meeting (whether big or small) in which Ciro is present, we can really believe, erroneously, as well narrated (I suppose) that there are cynical, ironic, and sarcastic people there; however, what we see is not a malicious smile from people who know too much, who are tired of knowing, who have the apathetic boredom, in the cynical sense, proper to knowledge. Above all, we do not see in the actions of Ciro Gomes' fans the "autarchy" sought by Antisthenes, the founder of Cynicism. In contrast, what we see in these meetings are the silly, naive laughs of people who – in fact – don't know anything and don't want to know anything; but they are, completing the cycle of our history, the new young men. There, listening to those passive grunts, I doubt there's really a man or even a dog, but maybe, who knows, just young hyenas around the carrion.

Today, hyenas call themselves Nationalists, but Mr. Mauro Benevides – Ciro's virtual Minister of Economy – wants to sell more than 70 state-owned companies. The hyenas say in chorus: "privatization is a tool"; and, at the same time, they argue that the almost 30 years that have passed have turned water into wine; i.e. a social democrat in Nationalist. They insist that, despite Mr. Ciro did not fulfill the promise committed to being a predecessor in the Government of Ceará and then denied funding for Gurgel, the ex-minister delivered is the most intelligent and nationalist of the candidates. However, the Tax State from the assistance economies is at least 50 years obsolete.

Finally, Ciro Gomes resorts to the moribund communist manifesto when asked about his solution for Brazil:

- Highly progressive tax!

Nothing more suitable for a lost soul.

Patriotic Greetings,

Douglas Mattos.

Philosopher.

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