Protest in São Paulo against the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil
May 3rd, 2009
The visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran, next Wednesday, is leading to several demonstrations throughout the country. This Sunday, in São Paulo, NGOs, human rights and women's rights defense groups, as well as associations of homosexuals, the Jewish Youth community and the Jewish Confederation of Brazil demonstrated against it. The protest attracted around 400 people in the square Marechal Cordeiro de Farias, in repudiation of his visit to the country.
The Secretary of Sports of the City of São Paulo, Walter Feldman, said that a person who questions the existence of the Holocaust can not be well received in Brazil. The Iranian people find themselves smothered and need global support. The visit of the President of Iran to Brazil is a mistake in terms of international relations, said Feldman. It is unacceptable to receive in our country somebody someone who does not respect human rights, freedom and democracy. We are the majority – he added.
The chairman of the Jewish Confederation of Brazil (Conibo), Gilberto Ventura, said he did not understand what makes a President Lula receive the visit of a person who is disrespected all over the world. A person who denies the Holocaust. Lula can not sit next to a belligerent tyrant.
Rabbi Henry Isaac Sobel, former chairman of the “Congregação Israelita Paulista (CIP)” (the israeli congregation of São Paulo), said that "Ahmadinejad coming is a frontal attack on the Jewish community."
Last Declarations:
(MISSING A VERY WEIRD PARAGRAPH)
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Two weeks ago, Ahmadinejad, in declaration to the United Nations, stated that Israel promotes a racism through the Zionist movement and also denied the very existence of the State of Israel and the Holocaust – which according to him is an excuse to protect the Jewish people. In his country, the Iranian president oppresses the Christian, the Bahai, the homosexual, women and other minorities.
During the summit, however, the Brazilian delegation remained in the auditorium during the speech of Ahmadinejad, while dozens of delegations, especially the Europeans, left the House in protest.
The Brazilian Foreign Ministry claimed that the Brazilians Government will take advantage of Ahmadinejad’s visit to reiterate its views upon these matters.
Texto: João Marcos Vieira
Fotos: AMISRAEL São Paulo
São Paulo protests against the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil
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São Paulo protests against the visit of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Brazil |
Oswaldo Natale (representative of AMISRAEL in São Paulo) |
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