Echoes said:
BigMac, please!
The head of the pre-trial chamber invited two news agencies to film Socrates' arrest at the airport. Certainly it can't get much more anecdotal than this, and it was just the start of the telenovela. I'm not advocating José Socrates' innocence whatsoever, but a process is automatically vicious when it starts with such barbarity, one would think. I would think. I'm only pointing out a blatant agenda hidden like mice behind a huge Swiss cheese. Swiss cheese indeed. Let us not forget the constant information leaks that should be under investigation secrecy - though we (read the media) were only given what Socrates' was being accused of and the supposed hideous crimes he had commited while in office, and are still to hear about his defence.
The Judicial System here is moribund and the lack of public trust has never been this low. With the Government behind or not (let's assume not for the sake of it), there's an obvious interest in passing the image of a new era. Where have we seen this before. The judicial bodies are in a complete state of ethical prostitution in order to try and clean their image. In this sence, Socrates is the scapegoat that was needed. Do understand that I'm not making any legal judgement, or claiming his innocence, but attacking the way this process was and is being conducted: like an utter circus.
Meanwhile, innocent or not, Socrates' political life was given the death sentence. Because the sensationalist media, which sadly is every news channel and newspaper here, were given what they wanted. Fits the country well: a kindergarten playground filled with ignoramus with their pants down, having the sweet juice of intellectual dishonesty and whatever it is they want to hear, put up their bottoms. It's this mummery and lack of seriousness that seems to be inherent to Portugal that I obviously don't like.
Cheers mate!
Christian said:
Sócrates, like Rajoy and many others, was a henchman for the Troika. He was instrumental in imposing the EU's radically neoliberal politics in Portugal by passing the worst austerity measures in history.
That is an half truth, Christian. Socrates did something to avoid Troika. He knew it would be bad for the country. He had implemented a small series of austerity measures. When he was ready to present PEC IV, and took it to the parliament for approval, it failed, if I record correctely, due to PSD and CSD voting against, as PS did not have the absolute majority. The measures presented were relatively light, but the main parties, sensing a weekness in Socrates' government, were already aiming at elections with the full arsenal. Socrates always tried to keep the IMF away, and, at the end of they day, it was pressure from Fernando Teixeira dos Santos, Minister of Finance, that led to Troika coming over. Teixeira dos Santos contacted the EU before the Prime Minister did, and Socrates eventually turned his back to Santos. They contacted little and actually became foes during the Government's last months. It doesn't seem fair that Socrates is considered a henchman for the Troika, when the main responsible ones are the two who now sit as Prime Minister and Vice Prime Minister of Portugal, Pedro Passos Coelho and Paulo Portas, leaders of PSD and CDS-PP respectively, and who have since imposed the largest austerity measures this country has ever seen. And were responsible for the largest growth of the deficit, surpassing Socrate's government on both accounts. But I don't blame you, as even in here that is the way most think. This leads to my previous assertion that this country has a loose psychosis and paranoia towards José Socrates. An irreversible stigma. It started with claims by various newspapers that he was being investigated, while in office, because of homosexuality suspicions, and that he was part of a lobby to implement gay marriage. Would you believe this? And this was actually product of nation-level debate, sometimes even protests against him - just so you have an idea of how ***, rotten and poor in spirit this country was and still is. And then came the accusations regarding him not having completed his degree, and then came Freeport, and a series of other legal inquiries that led to nothing, even after he was out of the job. This man has been persecuted since the dawn of his political life.
Of course that is not to say he was not a nice guy, or that he was corrupt. But he played an active and essential role in a system that is fundamentally screwed.
I think I've answered above. Again, I'm not taking sides on whether or not he is guilty of the crimes he's currentely being accused. Not the object of my argument.
Was he corrupt? It wouldn't surprise me. The question is: do you believe in the independence of the judicional system, or do you believe this is politically motivated? But what motivation would the current gouvernment, which carries on Troika/Sócrates' austerity politics to the letter, have in exposing someone who is an important part of the same system? And why now? I can't make any political sense of it - therefore I must believe that the police carried out thorough investigation and arrested him on a well-founded suspicion.
Nor would it surprise me. Suspicions lie on many, but until then they are only suspicions. I want to believe in the independence of the system, but that's not a preventive factor of anything, as they have their own interests and their own image to preserve or restore. As to why for the current government's possible motivations: with the recent BES and Golden Visas' case affecting the high spheres of the government, they have a point to prove in that the integrity of justice maintains and can reach everyone. Socrates' case is ideal. I'm not saying they orchestrated it - for all I care and know, the chances of Socrates being culpable are higher than not, but this obvious misuse of a high profile juditial process which's details should either be in secrecy or come out entirely, and not be cherry picked, seems like propaganda agenda fit for the government's political interests. Let's say Socrate's arrest was like a gift from the heavens to them. Also, this case clearly affects PS's image, just now that António Costa had taken over and surveys showed the party was gaining ground. Not a conspirancy, but opportunism.
Cheers.