{"id":72610,"date":"2022-10-29T16:10:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-29T19:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=72610"},"modified":"2022-11-02T10:58:18","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T13:58:18","slug":"criminalization-of-the-favela-origins-of-the-fake-news-about-the-acronym-cpx-and-the-consequences-of-its-dissemination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=72610","title":{"rendered":"The Criminalization of Favelas: Origins of Electoral Fake News About the CPX Acronym and Consequences of its Dissemination"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n

The three-letter abbreviation for the favelas of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o, “CPX,” was used by Brazil’s far-right to produce fake news that associated Lula and favela residents with organized crime.<\/h4>\n

With less than a week to go before the second round of the 2022 elections<\/a>, Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a>\u2014a group of 13 favelas in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone<\/a>\u2014once again became one of the most talked about topics in Brazil according to Google Trends<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Current presidential candidate and former president, Luiz In\u00e1cio “Lula” da Silva, known for policies that sharply reduced Brazil’s inequality in the 2000s, participated in a rally in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a> on October 12. He started the day at the headquarters of internationally known community newspaper Voz das Comunidades<\/em><\/a> in the lower area called Morro do Adeus<\/a>, meeting with community organizers from the favelas. He then marched down the Complexo’s main road, Estrada do Itarar\u00e9, with thousands of residents of Alem\u00e3o and neighboring favelas, along with activists from various political and social movements. During the walk, Lula was given a cap with the letters CPX on it\u2014an affectionate abbreviation for Complexo do Alem\u00e3o. The moment Lula received the cap as a gift was broadcast live<\/a> on YouTube<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Marching with Lula down Estrada do Itarar\u00e9. Photo: Jeferson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Estrada do Itarar\u00e9 is the main road that cuts through the neighborhood of Ramos<\/a> towards Inha\u00fama<\/a>. It provides access to the favelas of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o with bus stops and taxis. Schools, an Emergency Care Unit (UPA<\/a>), supermarkets, bars and restaurants are also located along the road. Lula’s visit was thus in the entryways to the favela, rather than deep inside the community.<\/p>\n

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Estrada do Itarar\u00e9. Photo: Matheus Guimar\u00e3es\/Voz das Comunidades<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It didn’t take long for Brazil’s far-right to build a fake news narrative around the event, trying to convince the public that CPX represented the term “cupinxa” instead of complex. The word is actually spelled with a “ch” (cupincha) and refers to “an individual with whom one has friendship, companionship, [someone who is] a comrade.” They launched the rumor that the cap received by Lula represented a link between him, the residents of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o, and drug traffickers.<\/p>\n

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Post by the Rio de Janeiro Military Police on social media uses the abbreviation CPX for \u201cComplexo da Penha\u201d showing the widespread use of the acronym. Reproduced from social media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GloboNews<\/em> reporter Fl\u00e1via Oliveira highlighted that since the favelas are majority black, the spread of this misinformation was in fact racism reflecting the criminalization of the working poor<\/a>:<\/p>\n

“Criminalizing CPX, which Rio knows is short for Complexo do Alem\u00e3o, is abhorrent to the favela. It’s racism. There’s no other name [for this].”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is important to note that the use of the acronym CPX is widespread, having even been used by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro (PMERJ<\/a>) to refer to the favela complexes. In a post published in 2017, the PMERJ used the acronym to refer to Complexo da Penha.<\/p>\n

The acronym also appears in the 2023 Budget Guidelines Law for the State of Rio<\/a> and in songs that mention favelas<\/a>. Despite all of this, in the last stretch of the presidential race, Bolsonaro has been seen using the acronym to make racist public statements that criminalize poverty and stigmatize the favelas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Disgusted by the president’s words, a CPX resident has denounced Bolsonaro<\/a> (Liberal Party, PL<\/a>) to the Supreme Court (STF<\/a>) for the crime of slander. In an excerpt from the lawsuit, the resident’s defense states:<\/p>\n

“This is a criminal case aimed at convicting [Bolsonaro] of the crime of slander since the undue association of the acronym ‘CPX’\u2014which in fact represents the expression ‘Complexo de Favelas’\u2014directly to drug dealers and organized crime is a serious offense to the reputation of the residents of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The complaint<\/a> was filed on October 21 and will be addressed by<\/a> Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski. In the lawsuit, the resident’s legal team claims that Bolsonaro committed a crime by associating the acronym CPX with organized crime.<\/p>\n

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Instrument of receipt and notice that makes distribution of lawsuit to Supreme Court Judge Ricardo Lewandowski official<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the lawsuit, the resident classifies Bolsonaro’s speech as prejudiced and based on fake news and misinformation<\/a>. He cites an incident during a nationally televised electoral debate<\/a> where a confused Bolsonaro mistook Complexo do Alem\u00e3o for Complexo do Salgueiro<\/a>, in an attempt to link Lula’s visit to Alem\u00e3o<\/a> with organized crime. Bolsonaro said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI know Rio de Janeiro. You visited Complexo do Salgueiro. You didn’t have a single policeman by your side, only drug dealers. Your affinity with drug dealers and criminals is so real that in Brazilian prisons you received four out of every five votes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In fact, those who invited and accompanied Lula<\/a> in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o were well-respected and beloved long-time community organizers from a number of favelas. An excerpt from the lawsuit reads: “these prejudiced statements\u2014made on national television, even\u2014further marginalize thousands of honest people who live in the region and who are often also victims of violence.”<\/p>\n

It then adds:<\/p>\n

“It should be noted that the president, despite claiming to know Rio de Janeiro, confused Complexo do Salgueiro with Complexo do Alem\u00e3o\u2014where the event he was referring to took place<\/a>. But worst of all was that even after having had enough time to inform himself about the real meaning of ‘CPX’, [Bolsonaro] continued to dismiss all the residents and participants of candidate Lula\u2019s rally claiming there were only ‘traffickers’ next to him.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Compartilhem!!!<\/p>\n

SALVEM ESSE V\u00cdDEO, JOGUEM NOS GRUPOS!<\/p>\n

BOLSONARO NAO GOSTA DE POBRE! FAVELADO NAO \u00c9 BANDIDO pic.twitter.com\/NxkIaqEISd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rene Silva 🇧🇷 CPX (@eurenesilva) October 17, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n