Covid-19 snapshots from Portugal
Telmo A Fernandes: “Censorship is imposed by the silence. No Portuguese party voted against this decree-law, which re-establishes censorship in practice, by the hand of the State. Through agencies “supported” by the State, legislators intend to “protect society”, “verifying facts” and validating narratives that are not “uninformative” or “misleading”. “
Freedom of Expression and Press has officially ended in Portugal (10/5-21) — The "Charter of Human Rights in the Digital Age", adopted on 8 April '21, clashes with Portuguese constitution but that might be a minor detail further down this road... Sad & worrying development. Are we doomed indeed?!?
Charter of Human Rights in the Digital Age (Carta Portuguesa de Direitos Humanos na Era Digital) is a huge blow to freedom of expression, promulgated on the 8 May by the President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa This law enters into force 60 days after its publication, and 73 days after the 49th anniversary of the Revolução dos Cravos (The Carnation Revolution = Freedom Day) when the Portuguese peacefully bid farewell to the dictatorship and overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime. So, it looks like we'll start living under utter censorship right before my birthday.
From the "right to forget" to fake news: Marcelo promulgates Human Rights Charter in the Digital Age (9/5-21): The President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, promulgated on Saturday the Charter of Human Rights in the Digital Age, approved in April in the Assembly of the Republic, according to a note published on the 'website' of the Presidency.
At Cidadania XXI, they wrote on 11 May: "Combating misinformation and fake news is obviously important, but even more important is providing citizens with tools that allow them to be less likely to be manipulated with fake news, misinformation and manipulation. But who defines where freedom of expression and opinion ends, and disinformation begins? And who supervises who sets this barrier? Who guarantees that this barrier will not be contaminated with ideology and misinformation / manipulation?
By providing the State with greater decision about what can and cannot be said and written, about what is true and what is a lie, we open an authentic Pandora's box that in the wrong hands is exactly the same as the censorship of the Estado Novo.
Fundamental is an increasingly transparent state, more responsible and accountable and less corrupt. Fundamental is an increasingly better public education that creates increasingly educated, informed and aware citizens."
Owner of the Irish pub "Leinster House" in Alvor, Gus Murray, is angry and totally pi$$ed off!!! I'd be too. (4/5-21):
"I took this video tonight in Alvor, in the muncipality of Portimao that is in total lockdown! Police having a nice meal in a nice restaurant!!! How wrong is this?!?
I’d love to hear what people have to say about this! We have been in total or partial lockdown for 15 months! Can’t meet people, open our businesses yet... The GNR in the middle of Alvor are above the law!!! Disgusting!!! We all should open tomorrow!!"
Yes, you should, ALL of you!!!
Errors and Consequences of Combating the Pandemic in Portugal (11/04-21): "In the 21st century, the fight that the authorities have made to this pandemic does not differ much from medieval methodologies, nor in the way in which penalties (now less brutal and cruel but equally foolish) are applied differently to the anonymous member of the people or to the public figure. In all this time of pandemic, apart from the emergence of vaccines, an innovative tear, a blow of a wings, a bold decision at the level of statesman. In addition to everything that has been written, evidence on the repositioning of potentially effective drugs in prevention and early treatment has been refused; extremely expensive and completely useless medicines have been approved, just because they have been presented by large pharmaceutical companies; recommendations were made against the use of effective drugs (dmemethasone and other corticosteroids), causing thousands of preventable deaths. Finally, society has regressed, with regard to the rights of citizenship, to levels close to the medieval ones."
Biólogo experto en PCR: “Si yo quiero crear una cuarta ola la creo” (6/4-21): El biólogo Jon Ander Etxebarría considera que el "arma" para "crear" las olas de la pandemia son los "test de PCR con ciclos": “A más PCR, más positivos”. El decano del Colegio de Biólogos del País Vasco denuncia que las "olas" de la pandemia son manipulables.
I cannot stand this clusterfuck much longer... "Portugal in a false public calamity. Health indicators in March are better than before the pandemic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" How much more are you willing to swallow, my Portuguese neighbours?!? And for how long?!?
Yap, it'll be a never-ending story: "Covid-19: Marcelo promulgates mandatory telework until the end of the year" (29/3-21): According to the law, "it is mandatory to take up the teleworking regime, regardless of the employment relationship, whenever the functions in question permit it and the worker has the conditions to exercise them, without the need for a written agreement between the employer and the worker".
Prof. Raquel Varela has dismantled the Portuguese covid flop in less than four minutes. I'm sure many will still chose to ignore facts... and devastating consequences.
Oh, yes, tourists and islanders can freely move around PT during 11 days of Easter ban for residents who are obliged to confine within the borders of their municipalities.... What an utter nonsense and BS!!! Until when, Portuguese, until when?!?
IT IS NOT COVIDISM. IT'S FASCISM (25/3-21): It is the great ideological fashion of 2020 and overflowed into 2021. Fascism is back and in force in Europe. Portugal is no exception. They call it covidism, but it's not, it's really fascism. The classic. It's got everything. Authoritarianism. The repression. Policies for the "good of the people and the nation." "Patriotism" and persecution of those who are not "patriots" – read all those who do not support the "regime".
Shit will hit the fan soon... "Two out of three Portuguese families are struggling to bear their daily expenses" (25/3-21)
Dr. Pinto Coelho: "I'm worried about the fear of the pandemic, because fear is immunosuppressive." (19/3-21)
Well, a year ago, quite some of us didn't even need the study to claim the same, and later keep repeating that money spent on NHS (and some other "trivialities" costing far less than destruction of lives & economy) could prevent this monumental clusterfuck!!! I'm soooo pissed off! And angry. Study reveals NHS 'weakening' caused deaths that could have been prevented (14/3-21): The "weakening" of the NHS at the beginning of the pandemic caused deaths that could have been avoided and the "huge destruction" of the economy due to successive confinements, according to a study by economist Eugénio Rosa.
O lockdown é “uma fraude científica global de proporções sem precedentes” (21/3-21)
Original: The lockdown “a global scientific fraud of unprecedented proportions” (23/2-21)
Really?!? It's unbelievable, appalling and very wrong - to say the least - the audacity of the governments to promote fear.
And if you do not agree with me, please, ponder upon this longer than the next commercial on your TV lasts: "In times of real crisis, do governments spent time, money and energy trying to scare the public, or do they use their resources to try to calm the public?"
I hope you won't need these drafts, my Portuguese neighbours! Just in case. Minutas de resposta, anulação de multas, denúncia de crime de polícias, recusa de testes, recusa de máscara e outras
"Se não exercermos os nossos direitos serão tirados um a um."
What a disaster!!! Health centers held 11 million fewer face-to-face consultations in 2020 in Portugal! (19/2-21)
They're not kidding: "Telecommunications may limit or block non-essential services like Youtube or Netflix from Monday" (13/2-21)
55 questions about the state of the insane asylum by Alberto Gonçalves (13/2-21) Relevant questions.
The mental health crisis is in. Ignoring it will be a "catastrophic dimensions" error (4/2-21): In the post-pandemic, the country will not be rescued from the crisis if it does not already address mental health problems, warns psychiatrist Vítor Cotovio. In the first eight months of 2020 alone, 6.5 million packs of antidepressants were sold.
Well, the Association for foreign residents in Portugal - AFPOP will loose at least one member this year... Despite all, this kind of appalling propaganda and blunt lies - as in their doc (compiled from their magazine Update from 1 February - still leave me speechless, sad, furious, in disbelief...
Ugh, where are we heading?!? How can one fight this kind of stuff? Even more if one is a foreign resident with extremely limited local language skills? You know the usual drill, "if you don't like it, go back home"! But this clusterfuck transcends the borders and being against horrible lockdowns and imposed mandates has noting to do with the love and respect of the country one lives in. Ugh, I don't like this at all!!!
A sério?!? Seriously?!? Some of them really like to be locked in and are well remunerated for teleworking or doing nothing... or well paid for such a petition! Nope, just paid PR and media are promptly publishing it!!! One seriously couldn't invent some of the stuff that's happening nowadays... And people will buy it!!! Have you ever heard of a filled petition which wouldn't be "fanfared" with names and at least a proud port parole?!? Media brainwashing by the book!!! New petition calls for three-week lockdown, with the closure of schools and churches (20/1-21):
A new petition has already been delivered to the Assembly of the Republic and the Prime Minister calling for the extension of general confinement for three weeks, maintaining only essential services, due to the state of rupture that the National Health System is facing, with the worsening of covid-19 in the country.
Never ending manipulations... through media's theater! — Rui Lima (Facebook, 16/1-21): «SOBRE A DA FILA DE AMBULANCIAS, MAIS UM TEATRO MEDIÁTICO — Quase nem valia sequer perder tempo com este tema, mas como gerou algum mediatismo ridículo.Houve um fluxo concentrado no hospital de Torres Vedras e os hospitais à volta estavam às moscas. Não há razão nenhuma para este mediatismo, é um caso de MÁ GESTÃO.
Qual a razão principal das ambulâncias à porta? É o facto de continuarem a tratar um vírus banal que está disseminado como um Ébola. Cada ambulância é um doente, a grande maioria idosos vindos de lares onde continua a haver problemas mas achamos que parar o resto da sociedade é a solução para os lares. (neste caso foi um "surto" de um lar)A diferença é que antigamente os doentes não ficavam nas ambulâncias à espera, iam para os corredores e eram muito mais! Parem de lidar com isto como um Ébola. Já parecem as imagens falsas de Itália para amedrontar as pessoas.
Restaurante de Lisboa recusa fechar e invoca Constituição (15/1-21): O casal fundador do espaço de restauração lisboeta invoca o artigo 21 da Constituição - Direito de Resistência para manter abertas as portas.
"O ano das cobaias humanas" is an opinion piece by a senior Portuguese journalist, José Goulão (from O Lado Oculto).
Death of pediatric assistant two days after receiving Covid vaccine puts Portuguese health authorities ‘on alert’: Health authorities in Portugal today are described as “on the alert” following the so far unexplained death of a 41-year-old pediatric operational assistant two days after she received her first dose of Pfizer's vaccine.
Last year more than 123,000 people died in Portugal, the highest number since 1920 (a year marked by the mortality of the Spanish flu). Covid-19 explains only half of the excess deaths.
Portugal’s vaccination programme starts Sunday: poll shows only 50% of population willing to take it up: In line with the rest of Europe, Portugal’s vaccination programme against Covid-19 starts on Sunday (December 27).
More than 950,000 seniors will start being ‘invited’ by telephone to come to health centres for their two-shot dose of protection, while the first to actually receive the jabs will be health professionals in Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra.
The country’s first phase of vaccinations will concentrate on the elderly in old people’s homes as well as healthcare workers.
Portugal aims to vaccinate “50% to 70% of population vaccine by end of spring”: Portugal is aiming to vaccinate 50,000 people a day from the beginning of January. Says vaccination programme coordinator Francisco Ramos, the ‘best case scenario’ is for 50% to 70% of the population to have received their shots by the end of the spring. Stress reports, Mr Ramos said this making the point that vaccination against Covid-19 is not obligatory.
Vacinas obrigatórias: Quem as impõe acaba no Tribunal de Haia — As vacinas anticovid são todas experimentais, ninguém pode ser forçado a aplicá-las. Quem o faz é como os nazis.
Polling: 92% of Portuguese are very concerned about pandemic crisis. More than half of respondents say the pandemic has affected their health. More than 30% are concerned about the economic consequences. Satisfaction with social life dropped.
Crime of disobedience? "New clause didn't add anything": Vital Moreira argues that punishment as a crime of disobedience, inscribed in the new presidential decree of the State of Emergency, "would raise a serious constitutionality problem, if understood to the letter". More in detail: Pandemia (44): Confusão legal
Covid-19: Most inpatients in critical condition are obese: «Obesity is one of the factors that most increases the risk of death from Covid-19. In some of the main hospitals in the country, 60% to 80% of those hospitalized in the most serious condition are overweight.»
Do they really believe a word they say?!?!? Delusional and dangerous! Many more months of clowning ahead of us... Efeitos de vacina contra a covid-19 só deverão sentir-se no fim de 2021: For example:
"Joaquim Ferreira (director of the Clinical Pharmacology laboratory of the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes) recognizes that "the risk of serious adverse effects is not zero" and that only one will know more about what "the vaccine can induce when it starts to administer to more people", but considers "unlikely to happen".
"I am very excited. We have data, both from what has been shared [by the most advanced vaccine manufacturers] and from the scientific knowledge that has emerged from these months, which gives security. If the vaccines are approved by the American and European drug agencies, we must clearly move forward, consciously, but available to participate in this movement ", he says.
“This confinement is useless. An economic crisis is a health crisis” — “Este confinamento não serve para nada. Uma crise económica é uma crise de saúde”: O ex-presidente do Hospital de São João arrasa o governo de António Costa e diz que toda a gente sabia que a segunda vaga seria pior.
Não estou de acordo: "I do not agree with medieval methods to face a pandemic. If viruses have evolved, society's organization should also have evolved enough to fight them in another way. The curfew is typical of dark times and non-democratic societies. Prohibiting people from driving on the street stifles the economy and does not eliminate the pandemic."
COVID-19: The Economic Ruin, The Farce, The Lie, The Fool (3/8-20): Isto só pode piorar! — This can only get worse!
António Coelho: «Funcionários de supermercado: Um caso de estudo. Os funcionários de supermercado nunca pararam de trabalhar. Qualquer pessoa entra no supermercado, mexe aqui, mexe ali, e tudo passa pelas mãos dos funcionários de supermercado, principalmente na caixa. Os funcionários de supermercado já deviam ter morrido todos caso estivéssemos perante um vírus altamente contagioso e altamente mortal como nos querem levar a crer que é o caso deste.
Curiosamente, mesmo estando super-expostos, raros foram os casos positivos (de um teste que se ultrapassar X de ciclos, resulta sempre positivo para "qualquer coisa") entre os funcionários de supermercado, muito menos casos graves (não ouvi falar de nenhum, alguém ouviu?).
Posto isso conclui-se que os funcionários de supermercado devem ter alguma mutação genética que os torna imunes ao vírus "coiso", só pode!»
Opposition sites:
Defender Portugal (on FB as well)
Médicos Pela Verdade (on FB as well)
Juristas Pela Verdade (on FB as well)
Sérgio Tavares and Notícias de Portugal
Interesting media:
O Lado Oculto – Antídoto para a propaganda global (The Hidden Side – Antidote to global advertising), an international digital information newspaper, is an independent project of a collective of senior journalists experienced in the multiple aspects of this area of journalism. The publication, strictly independent, is supported solely by its subscribers.
Interesting people:
Vital Moreira's blog (Professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (FDUC): Causa Nossa
Luís Gomes, DIF Broker
Eduardo Baceira's lengthy post on PCR tests
Historic facts:
One bit of interesting PT history. Just to remember "good old times" with monumentally overcrowded hospitals without lockodwns and draconian mandates. There are more bits like that, for each year, with numbers up and down, and "business as usual"...
Doenças do aparelho respiratório mataram mais de 13 mil pessoas em Portugal em 2018
