Married to Alckmin, Abril attacks Cubans and Padilha
In its weekend edition, Veja magazine makes it clear that it will be one of the main (perhaps the biggest) adversaries of Minister Alexandre Padilha in his attempt to be elected governor of São Paulo; the article "What he admires is the dictatorship," about the Mais Médicos program, offends the reader's common sense and intelligence; however, Veja is engaged and knows it cannot let slip the privileged relationship it maintains with Governor Geraldo Alckmin and the Palácio dos Bandeirantes, where the communications secretary, Marcio Aith, who commands a gigantic advertising machine, is a former editor of the magazine; Veja's editorial insists on the theme that Cubans are "slaves."
247 - The vested interests of Veja magazine, published by Editora Abril, with the São Paulo government became evident a few weeks ago when the publication presented its version of the Siemens case, as if the scandal had no connection whatsoever with the PSDB party in São Paulo (to learn more, read...). "Tucaníssima, Veja tears apart the fantasy in the Siemens case"More than an ideological connection, it is also a financial one. Governments come and go, and subscriptions to Abril magazines for teachers and students in São Paulo's public schools are renewed under special conditions. Furthermore, the Secretary of Communication for São Paulo, journalist Marcio Aith, is a former editor of Veja magazine and runs a gigantic advertising machine where Abril magazines have a special place.
In 2012, with José Serra's defeat to Fernando Haddad, Abril lost one of its pillars in São Paulo. Therefore, the possibility of suffering another defeat in 2014, this time to Alexandre Padilha against Geraldo Alckmin, would have a devastating impact on the Civita publishing house on Marginal Pinheiros. Faced with this risk, Veja magazine makes it clear this week that it will be Padilha's main adversary – perhaps the biggest – in his fight to be elected governor of São Paulo in 2014.
This weekend's arsenal was anchored on a tripod: an editorial by Eurípedes Alcântara, a lengthy internal report, and a cover story. In all three cases, they are insults to the reader's intelligence, but at Abril, there's a perception that these low blows work – they didn't work against Haddad, and only time will tell regarding Padilha.
The cover headline reads: "Cubanization - Leaving doctors under Havana's dictatorial law is a serious threat to Brazilian sovereignty." Eurípedes Alcântara's editorial, in turn, treats Cuban doctors as servants. "The PT (Workers' Party) chose to impose on them the dishonor of 'once a slave, always a slave'," says the text by the journalist who heads the publication. Inside, the report signed by Leonardo Coutinho and Duda Teixeira features a photo of Padilha and the title "What he admires is dictatorship," further stating that the Minister of Health is at the service of Havana.
It's not even worth wasting time on Veja's arguments. Even Abril doesn't take them seriously. Just remember that when Cuban doctors were brought in during the FHC government, they were touted as a great solution, almost a miracle (read more). here).
What Abril cannot bear to lose is its special seat in the Palácio dos Bandeirantes (Governor's Palace).
But is the reader incapable of understanding the operation behind all this?