Freedom of expression is one of the pillars of modern democracy.

The MBL expresses conservative positions that stem from a totalitarian matrix.

The early closure of an exhibition at the Santander Cultural space in Porto Alegre, due to pressure from the Free Brazil Movement (MBL) and accusations of promoting pedophilia, gained national attention. As a result of these events, prosecutor Julio Almeida, head of the Childhood and Adolescence division in Porto Alegre, expressed his position on the Queermuseu exhibition before the Citizenship and Human Rights Commission. The representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Rio Grande do Sul reiterated what he had already stated through the local press: "I examined all the works and did not identify, in light of the Statute of the Child and Adolescent, any characterization of pedophilia." The prosecutor only highlighted that some works contain manifestations of sexual acts, which, in his opinion, could justify an age rating for access to them. "I did not see pedophilia, and if I had, I would have called the police to order the arrest of the perpetrators."

We all have the right to pass judgment on any artistic expression. However, in this case, the defense of children's rights is used as a smokescreen to hide religious and sexual orientation moralism, censoring works of art. Although paradoxical with a liberal agenda, it has been the MBL's practice to act much more opportunistically, sometimes flirting with the theses of a minimal state, sometimes with obscurantism.

The Free Brazil Movement expresses conservative positions stemming from a totalitarian matrix. What the MBL professes is a Brazil free from diversity, democratic plurality, progressive and leftist forces, so that right-wing totalitarianism may finally reign, of which they are spokespeople. They resemble the members of the Golden Youth that emerged in France after the decapitation of Robespierre, who took to the streets and invaded Jacobin social clubs with clubs in hand. They were in the service of monarchical restoration, defending privileges and personal interests.

Today, most of the leaders of these pro-democracy and anti-corruption movements, who took to the streets during Dilma's era, are within some of the most authoritarian and corrupt governments in our country, holding positions of trust. Furthermore, several investigations have already proven that the money that financed their activities had illicit origins, obtained through figures as reputable as Eduardo Cunha, Aécio, and Temer.

Democratic forces cannot waver at a time like this. What is at stake is the very concept of democracy. Obscure forces, which have international relations with entities such as Atlas, an international far-right network that raises funds from the very wealthy to sponsor groups that help destabilize progressive governments worldwide, are consolidating and expanding their tentacles in Brazil. More than ever, raising the banner of human rights means engaging with the principles that gave rise to it, which emerged from the horrors of the Second World War, sponsored by ideological counterparts to those same forces that want to impose a gag on the freedom of expression of Brazilian art and culture.

Jeferson Fernandes – State Representative, President of the Citizenship and Human Rights Committee of the Legislative Assembly of Rio Grande do Sul