EDITORIAL. Nobody takes care of the circus

The circus act that the definition of a candidacy for the Government of Minas has turned into – obliterating what remained of the credibility of the party and the pre-candidate involved – is just the crudest illustration of the decline of Brazilian politics and of a society that is increasingly indifferent to the country's future.

Minas – which has already produced some of Brazil's greatest public men – now has a great chance of being governed by an influencer who represents the revolt of society better than anyone, but is unable to articulate a public policy, or contribute anything beyond his own revolt. How did we get here? With a mix of abdication of responsibility by the elites and a renunciation of reasoning by the average Brazilian – all packaged by the spectacularization of politics created by social networks, which promote those who shout instead of those who ponder, and who are "famous" instead of those who really have content.

The Brazilian elite has disappeared. Part of it has its head in Miami or Portugal. Another part – which previously organized itself, with a true public spirit, to support or veto candidates – now limits itself to lamenting the country daily in WhatsApp groups. Some burned themselves by getting involved in politics, others were investigated by Alexandre de Moraes, and many (most) lost the ability to influence.

Brazil has to ask itself if the law that prohibited company donations – as if this would "clean up" politics post-Lava Jato – contributed to raising the quality of the debate or, on the contrary, to creating an adverse selection, in which bad candidates manage to get elected with the (abundant) money from the Electoral Fund and then don't have to account to absolutely anyone.

There is still a third group: the elite that only works in favor of its sectoral or notary interests, and adapts to any government: the bad and the very bad. It's the elite of "screw the country: my own interests first." Here, in addition to some well-known large entrepreneurs, are also the party presidents, who in most cases oscillate between mediocrity and venality, choosing only "candidates to win" – no matter how bad and incapable they are.

But the so-called "Brazilian people" also need to help themselves. The Brazilian press – another type of elite – has always seen (and still treats) the "people" as poor wretches, who vote badly because they have low schooling and don't have access to good information (what irony…). But it seems that the people believed the narrative and decided to make it come true.

The tetric or teratological characters that Brazil sends every four years to Congress, to Legislative Assemblies, and to City Councils are increasingly of the unbelievable breed. It's time for the average Brazilian – the so-called people – to stop feeling sorry for themselves and discover that they depend more on electing a good government than the elites themselves.

If one believes Lula, he ended hunger in the country, and today the humblest Brazilians own a smartphone (just look inside a bus). The Bolsa Família guarantees access to nutrients, and access to information is already wide and democratic. It's no longer possible to claim ignorance. People who vote badly deserve the rulers they have.

Throughout the country, there are numerous cases – very well known – of candidates who are no good. Some, veterans in politics, have already given everything they had to give and haven't had a new idea in at least 20 years. Others are of bad character. Others have already bankrupted city halls and entire states – but are there again, without the slightest shame, candidates once more.

It's up to the elite to point them out. It's up to the press to expose them. It's up to the people to stop them. But obviously, this editorial will only be read by a disinterested elite, while the people are extremely interested in following what really matters: the Big Brother of Rede Globo.