Prédateur

Jair BOLSONARO

Président du Brésil depuis 2019

Prédateur depuis son arrivée au pouvoir

Brésil, 111e/180 au Classement mondial de la liberté de la presse 2021

Dear [Name of Candidate],

I am writing to ask you what you plan to do to defend the First Amendment, freedom of the press, and the fundamental rights of journalists to practice their profession freely in what has become an increasingly hostile environment for information and news providers.

The United States, which enshrines press freedom in the First Amendment of its Constitution, is currently witnessing a drastic decline in media freedom. On June 28, one of the most horrific attacks on press freedom in the United States occurred when five employees, including four reporters, were killed at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker, which comprehensively documents press freedom violations in the US committed by national, state, and local authorities as well as private individuals, 33 journalists were arrested, 43 were physically attacked, and 15 seizures of journalists’ equipment occurred in 2017. In one of these incidents, Rep. Greg Gianforte physically assaulted a Guardian journalist the night before his state’s election. While covering the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, journalists were impersonated on social media, impeding their ability to accurately investigate the facts and disseminate information which could be vital to preventing a similar tragedy. This hostility towards the press not only risks compromising the American public’s right to be informed through journalists’ reporting, but can also degrade the public’s trust in the media itself.

This is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics. Journalism is at the crux of our democracy, and communities everywhere rely on journalists to provide them with information that is essential to their daily decision-making processes. It was local investigative journalist Curt Guyette who broke the story about Flint, Michigan’s lack of access to clean water in 2014, prompting years of class-action lawsuits, protests, and subsequent federal assistance to the city in order to try to resolve the crisis. Reporters Megan Twohey, Jodi Kantor, and Ronan Farrow publicized sexual assault allegations against influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leading to the ubiquitous and powerful #MeToo movement which brought decades of sexual abuse and harassment across multiple industries to light.

Yet freedom of the press in the US is currently in dire need of congressional support. It is our civic duty as one of the world’s leading democracies to uphold principles that support and protect the rights of journalists so that they may hold those in power accountable and ensure an informed and engaged community.

If you are elected, what do you plan to do to protect this utterly essential component of our democracy? What are your plans to protect the public’s right to be informed through a free and independent press?

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Hello, my name is _______ and I am from [city, state].

I’m calling to let you know that [candidate/representative]'s stance on freedom of the press is extremely important in my decision to vote. I feel that this is not a partisan issue, but a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics.

I have become increasingly concerned with the growing climate of hostility for journalists in this country, and I would like for [candidate/representative] to publicly address what they will do to defend press freedom if [he/she] is elected.

Thank you.

Freedom of the press is suffering in the US. @[yourcandidate] if you are elected to serve in Congress, what are your plans to protect journalists and our right to be informed? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

Democracy depends on a free and independent press and its ability to hold those in power accountable. [@yourcandidate] will you take measures to protect journalism and the First Amendment? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

In June, four reporters were murdered in an appalling targeted attack on the Capital Gazette and freedom of the press. [@yourcandidate] what will you do to address the growing threat to journalists in this country? #DefendPressFreedom

Press freedom is in steady decline in the US. I want my representative to defend the work of journalists as well as my right to be informed. [@yourcandidate] if you are elected what will you do to protect a free press? #DefendPressFreedom

Journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. And yet in the US, attacks on journalists are becoming more common, undermining the media's role and creating opportunities for government overreach, the erosion of press freedom, and impeding our right to be informed. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join me at DefendPressFreedom.com

A free press is essential to our democracy. Communities everywhere rely on journalists to report on our government’s actions and hold public figures accountable, providing us with the information we need to make decisions every day. And yet physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists in the US are increasing at an astonishing rate. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. You should too. Read more at DefendPressFreedom.com

Press freedom is declining in the US at an alarming rate. Physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists have increased drastically in the last two years. As the US midterm elections approach, we must remind our congressional candidates that journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. I’m contacting my representatives and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join in and help me spread the word at DefendPressFreedom.com

MODE DE PRÉDATION : insulte, humiliation et menaces vulgaires

Autoproclamé “candidat anti-système”, Jair Bolsonaro a gagné du terrain grâce aux réseaux sociaux, où son discours et ses idées ont trouvé un écho considérable, court-circuitant ainsi les médias traditionnels. Depuis son accession au pouvoir en 2018, le travail de la presse brésilienne est devenu extrêmement complexe. Sa marque de fabrique ? Insulter, dénigrer, stigmatiser et humilier les journalistes trop critiques. Pour lui, la presse “ne sert à rien” et n’est que “rumeurs et mensonges en permanence”. Sa rhétorique guerrière et ordurière est amplifiée par son entourage proche et une base organisée. Depuis 2018, le président, sa famille et son entourage ont peaufiné un système extrêmement bien huilé. Sur les réseaux sociaux, des armées de supporters et de robots relaient et amplifient les attaques destinées à décrédibiliser la presse, présentée comme une ennemie de l’État.

CIBLES DE PRÉDILECTION : les femmes journalistes, les spécialistes politiques et Globo

L’une des cibles favorites de la famille Bolsonaro est la chaîne Globo, qualifiée de “TV funéraire” parce qu’elle a eu l’outrecuidance d’informer les Brésiliens de la progression de l’épidémie de Covid-19 et du nombre de décès liés au virus. RSF a recensé, en 2020, plus de 180 attaques contre le groupe, accusé de vouloir “trahir” et “détruire” le pays. La chaîne est menacée de ne pas voir sa fréquence de radiodiffusion renouvelée en 2022. Sur le terrain, les journalistes, notamment ceux chargés de couvrir la présidence devant le palais de l’Alvorada à Brasilia, sont aussi souvent pris à partie, humiliés et attaqués parfois violemment par les partisans de la famille Bolsonaro. Les attaques sexistes et misogynes contre les femmes journalistes sont aussi un marqueur fort du bolsonarisme. À l’instar de Patricia Campos Mello, de nombreuses femmes journalistes ont été victimes d’attaques à caractère sexiste et doivent travailler dans une ambiance nauséabonde, à la merci du lynchage digital des partisans du président.

DISCOURS OFFICIEL : ordurier

Certains médias sont “pires que des ordures, car les ordures, elles, sont recyclables”. “Le Brésil est en faillite, je ne peux rien faire. (...) Je voulais changer la grille de réduction des impôts, mais il y a eu ce virus alimenté par la presse que nous avons ici, cette presse sans caractère.” (6 janvier 2021.)

“La presse est responsable de la panique dans le pays et de la perte de vies pendant la pandémie, une honte nationale.” (7 janvier 2021, lors d’une intervention en direct sur Facebook, diffusée sur le compte de la présidence.)

Les journalistes peuvent aller “se faire foutre chez leur p….. de mère” et “s'enfiler des boîtes de lait concentré dans le c… .” (27 janvier 2021.)

“Canailles, infâmes, vous n’êtes pas des patriotes. (...) Le journalisme que vous faites est pourri, corrompu, sans scrupules ! Vous ne servez à rien ! Vous ne servez à rien ! Vous ne publiez que des mensonges !” (Extrait d’une vidéo de 24 minutes diffusée le 29 octobre 2019 dans laquelle Jair Bolsonaro s’adresse au groupe Globo.)