{"id":66102,"date":"2021-04-23T00:04:05","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T00:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/litci.org\/en\/?p=66102"},"modified":"2021-04-23T00:04:05","modified_gmt":"2021-04-23T00:04:05","slug":"66102-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/litci.org\/en\/66102-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Feasting on coffins: billionaires surge during the pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

In one year, the Covid-19 pandemic has killed almost 3 million people in the world, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>around<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 350,000 of them in Brazil, which today carries the shameful mark of being responsible for one-third of the daily deaths caused by the coronavirus. Meanwhile, if it were not enough for us to live in permanent mourning, the socio-economic crisis has advanced by leaps and bounds, leaving in its wake an increasing number of unemployed, hungry people or people living in absolute <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>poverty<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nBy: Wilson Hon\u00f3rio da Silv<\/span><\/span><\/span>a – PSTU<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nDuring all this period, we have heard the same litany around the world: there is no money for mass vaccination; there is no way to build more hospitals, increase ICU beds, buy medical supplies and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ventilators<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>; it is impossible to promote a total lockdown, guaranteeing decent income for all. After all, they say, it is necessary to “preserve the health of the economy” so that the world does not collapse.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nHowever, there is only one side of this story that is true. Behind so much suffering, there are a handful of people laughing <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>out loud <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and celebrating astronomical profits. Behind the rulers and parliamentarians who have contributed to this endless tragedy, there are those who really dictate the rules of a game where only they can win. Behind the deaths and losses of millions, there is a handful of bankers, businessmen and landowners who have profited more than ever.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nA handful of billionaires who, here and around the world, have doubled or tripled their fortunes during the pandemic; amassing literally trillions of dollars. That money would be more than enough not only to combat the coronavirus but also to eradicate hunger and unemployment from the world. Untold fortunes accumulated with abominable genocidal greed, which becomes even more evident when we know that one of the sectors that profited most during the pandemic was the one linked to private health.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nTwo thousand billionaires are worth <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US$ 13.1 trillion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nAccording to April 6th <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Forbes<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> magazine, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>famous list of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>world<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> top<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> billionaires broke a record this year: 2,755 people <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> worth <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>assets of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> more than US$ 1 billion. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>So, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>660 people were added to the list of billionaires <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 2020 (i.e. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>during<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the pandemic).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nBut this is neither all nor the worst of it. Together, they accumulate no less than US$ 13.1 trillion, <\/span><\/span><\/span>or<\/span><\/span><\/span> ten times greater than the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span>GDP which, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), was <\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span>1.32<\/span><\/span><\/span> trillion in 2020. What’s more: in the previous list, <\/span><\/span><\/span>t<\/span><\/span><\/span>hese billionaires <\/span><\/span><\/span>had<\/span><\/span><\/span> US$ 8 trillion; that is, during the pandemic, the fortunes of the super-rich almost doubled, increas<\/span><\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0US$ 5.1 trillion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nTopping the list (for the fourth consecutive time) is Jeff Bezos, owner of online retailer <\/span><\/span><\/span>Amazon<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/span><\/span><\/span>of<\/span><\/span><\/span> The Washington Post<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>, with a fortune estimated at US$177 billion. Second is <\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span>South African, US-based Elon Musk, president of <\/span><\/span><\/span>Tesla Motors<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>, an automotive and energy storage company, who jumped from <\/span><\/span><\/span>a \u201cmodest\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span> 31<\/span><\/span><\/span>st<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/sup> place by adding no less than US$ 126.4 billion to his fortune, accumulating US$ 151 billion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe third and exemplary fact that the bourgeoisie doesn’t give a damn about the suffering of the world population, caring only for their own petty interests and futility, is Bernard Arnault, president of the LVMH luxury goods company, owner of brands such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Sephora and, more recently, of Tiffany’s jewellery, who doubled his fortune, reaching US$ 150 billion, mostly through financial speculation and stock appreciation.<\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe top 5 are completed by two <\/span><\/span><\/span>owners of dot-com companies<\/span><\/span><\/span>: <\/span><\/span><\/span>Microsoft <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>founder Bill Gates (US$ 124 billion) <\/span><\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span><\/span> Mark Zuckerberg, leader of <\/span><\/span><\/span>Facebook<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> (<\/span><\/span><\/span>US$ 94 billion<\/span><\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAmong the women, who are 328 among the 2,755 super-rich, the most wealthy are the American Miriam Adelson, who inherited a casino complex from her husband in Nevada, with a fortune of US$ 38.2 billion; the French Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress of the cosmetics empire <\/span><\/span><\/span>L’\u00d3real<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span> (US$ 24.7 billion), and Alice Walton (US$ 61.8 billion), one of the heirs of the retailer <\/span><\/span><\/span>Walmart<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAn u<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>nquestionable proof that there is nothing “communist” about China, but rather a capitalist dictatorship in the service of the super-exploitation of the working class, the Asian country (including Hong Kong) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>provided<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> most <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>new billionaires in 2020 (210), accounting for 724 members of the list; followed by the United States, with 626 billionaires.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nBut, the greedy <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>bourgeoisie, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> one of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>most<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> u<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>nequal countries<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0in the world, could not be left behind. Brazil ranked 7<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/sup><\/span> in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>list <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of countries that added billionaires to their population in 2020, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>counting<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 20 new super-rich. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>he<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>y<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> were 45 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>n the previous lis<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>t and n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ow the 65 saw their fortunes jump <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>71 per cent during the pandemic, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>from US$ 127.1 billion to US$ 219.1 billion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAnd as our bourgeoisie, since always, has nothing “nationalist”, part of this fortune is abroad, where many of them reside, starting with those at the top: Jorge Paulo Lemann and Carlos Alberto Sicupira (from <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>I<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>mbev<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>reside<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in Switzerland, and Antonio Luiz Seabra, cofounder of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Natura<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lives<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the UK.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nA parasitic bourgeoisie<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>o understand what we mean by “feasting on coffins,” it is enough to say that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>t<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>he profile of these billionaires reflects central characteristics of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>current <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>capitalism and its ruling class: financial speculation, unproductive character and profit accumulated ruthlessly from the suffering imposed on millions. After all, it is not a coincidence that most of the super-rich <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> bankers or, exactly in the year of the pandemic, own<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ers of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> hospitals <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>or<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> pharmaceutical <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>industries<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nOut of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the top five fortunes <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in Brazil<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>three<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>executives of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>multinational beverage company Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB Inbev), formed in 2004 by the merger of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Belgian company Interbrew and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian Ambev: Jorge Paulo Lemann (first in the Brazilian list, 114<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/sup><\/span> in the world, with a fortune of US$ 16.9 billion), Marcel Herrmann Telles (US$ 11.5 billion) and Carlos Alberto Sicupira (US$ 8.7 billion).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAlthough some have fallen in the ranking, due to the closing of bars, the members of this group (owners of 3G Capital) have guaranteed their profitability supported by their multiple businesses, which include investments in companies (such as Lojas Americanas, Telemar, Gafisa) and food chains, such as Burger King and Heinz.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nOther large fortunes are in the hands of billionaires acting in sectors equally benefited by the situations created during the pandemic, in the financial market or in companies far from the productive sector.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nEduardo Saverin (second in the Brazilian list and 140<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/sup><\/span> worldwide), <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>for example, is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> one of the founders of Facebook and creator of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>B Capital<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, which works with digital media and investment in startups, accumulating a net worth of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>14.74<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> billion. Vick Safra, the widow of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>banker Joseph Safra, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a banker herself <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>who also lives in Switzerland, has assets of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>7.47<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> billion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAlso worth mentioning is Luiza Trajano, owner of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Magazine Luiza<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, who has now lost the position of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>richest <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>woman to the owner of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Amil<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a health insurance company <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>(see below). Owner of a patrimony of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>5<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.5 billion, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Ms <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Trajano has been <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>mentioned <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>as a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>possible<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> vice-president <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>candidate<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in a future PT (Workers\u2019 Party) slate<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> headed by Lula<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, in 2022.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIn addition to the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>m<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, among the Brazilians there are names like Rubens Menin Teixeira, of the MRV construction company; members of the Feffer family, the controlling shareholder of the pulp giant <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Suzano<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>; David V\u00e9lez, president of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Nubank<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a digital bank <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>speciali<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ed in financial services and credit card operation, and Anne Marie Werninghaus, the shareholder of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>electric <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>motor manufacturer WEG.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nP<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>rofits bathed in blood <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>i<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>n Brazil<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nOn February 5, 2021, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Forbes Brazil<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> published an article whose title summari<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>es how, in addition to being parasitic, the Brazilian bourgeoisie is also a butcher: “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian billionaires in the health area are those who most made money during the pandemic.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIt was by exploiting the misfortune of others that the businessmen of the private health sector saw their fortunes increase by <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>14<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> billion. A lamentable counterpoint to the hundreds of thousands of dead, to the millions of sick people, to the collapse of the hospital network, to all those who died waiting for an opening in the ICU or for lack of supplies and also to the superhuman effort of health professionals, working under terrible conditions and receiving demeaning salaries.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nJorge Moll Fi<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lho, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>owner of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>D’Or S\u00e3o Luiz<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> chain of private hospitals and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>La<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>bs<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> group, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>is a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>t the top of this list of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>vultures (nothing against the birds)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>His <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>fortune grew 550<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>%, from US$ 2 bil<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lion to US$ 13 billion in the last y<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ear, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>after an initial public offering (IPO) o<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>n the stock markets <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and became a top 3 in the For<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>bes ranking of Brazilian billionaires.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nTh<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>is<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> same path <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>was<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> taken by <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Dulce Pugliese de Godoy Bueno to become the richest <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>woman (<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>from <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>3.5 billion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to US$ 6.13 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>bil<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lion)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and her stepson, Pedro de Godoy Bueno, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>30, to be<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the youngest Brazilian billionaire, almost tripling his fortune in 2020 (from <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>1.1 billion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>3.1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> billion). The family owns the health <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>insurance company<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Amil<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00cdmpar Network<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of hospitals and the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Dasa<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> network, which controls 34 diagnostic laboratories (such as Delboni Auriemo, Lavoisier, Alta, Salom\u00e3o Zoppi, S\u00e9rgio Franco and Bronstein), with 700 service units, which <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>lined their pockets<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> during the pandemic.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nA<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>nd<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Candido Pinheiro Koren de Lima, president of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Hapvida Group<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and the largest operator of health <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>insurance companies<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the Brazilian North and Northeast, had <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>his<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> assets appreciated by 175%, jumping from US$ 1.6 billion in April 2020 to US$ 4.4 billion in January 2021.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe mismatch of these numbers is not only glaring in relation to the health crisis. As highlighted in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Forbes Brasil <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>article<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, the “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>increase in net worth of billionaires in the health area was astronomically superior<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>” when compared to the other super-rich: “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>T<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>he average fortune of the <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>top <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>53 Brazilian<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>s in the world wealth ranking grew<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> from US$ 2.28 billion to US$ 3.53 billion, an increase of 54.82 <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in less than a year. The net <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>assets<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the billionaires in the health area, on the other hand, shows that the average value went from US$ 1.64 billion in 2020 to US$ 3.85 in 2021, a growth of 134.76 <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> \u2013 80 <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> more than the general average.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nOne new billionaire every 17 hours. 13,000 killed <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Covid and 2,600 starving a day.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nForbes\u2019<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> report also revealed that during the pandemic, there was a record number of people appearing for the first time in the global ranking, crossing the line of what could be called “extreme wealth.” There were 493 new billionaires, which is equivalent to one new super-rich every 17 hours.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nMeanwhile, according to the Worldometer portal, which specialises in daily updated global statistics, on 9 April alone, around 2,600 people <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>starved to death<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and 13,268 lives were taken by the coronavirus. A situation that, particularly in relation to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>poverty<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and hunger, can only get worse in the wake of the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic and the deepening crisis of capitalism.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nOn 9 July 2020, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The Guardian<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> reported <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>that, according to<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Oxfam, “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>m<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>illions of people are being pushed towards hunger by the coronavirus pandemic, which could end up killing more people through lack of food than from the illness itself.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>” Something that has not been fully proven only because of the genocidal disregard of world governments, which led to the pandemic getting out of control. This does not mean that hunger is not increasing and killing millions of people around the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nA<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ccording to a survey done in December 2020, by the Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Research Network on Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (Rede Penssan), 19 million Brazilians <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>starved<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> last year and that 116.8 million suffered some kind of food insecurity (that is, they did not have enough to eat properly), corresponding to 55.2 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of Brazilian households.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>his period coincided with the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>end of the monthly e<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>mergency aid <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of US$ 108 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>(<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>doubling<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for mothers who are heads of household) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and its halving after months of wavering<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, even though the initial amount was nowhere near enough to combat the problem since 28 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the households that received the aid experienced “serious” food insecurity and another 37.6 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> “light”.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAccording to a survey carried out by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Poder 360<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> website (<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>01\/04\/2021<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>7<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of Brazilians sa<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>id<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> they <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>starved and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>29 per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> ate less <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>than usual <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>during the pandemic, equivalent to 14.9 million people.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nA <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>tragic<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> reality that, however, is not exclusive to Brazil. According to a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>report by the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>United Nations World Food Programme<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>1 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>April<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>t<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>he number of people facing acute food insecurity (IPC\/CH 3 or worse) stands to rise to 265 million in 2020, up by 130 million from the 135 million in 2019, as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nSome of the countries worst hit by this calamity were Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Venezuela, West African Sahel, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Haiti. But this is far from being restricted to countries on the periphery of capitalism. According to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The Washington Post<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (06\/01\/2021), a national Census conducted in the U.S. last November revealed that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>around<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 26 million Americans (<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>out of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a population of 329 million) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>id not have enough to eat.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThere <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>too<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, where the equally genocidal policies of Bolsonaro’s best friend Donald Trump have caused the country to rack up 550,000 Covid deaths, hunger is spreading. According to the bulletin <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>The Impact of <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020 <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>&<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 2021<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, published by <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Feeding America<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>42 million people (1 in 8), including 13 million children (1 in 6), may experience food insecurity <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>in 2021<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nT<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>he<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> so-called “world’s largest democracy” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>experiences <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the same reality that is <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>seen<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>equally illusory and false <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Brazilian<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> “racial democracy”: “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Significant racial disparities in food insecurity which existed before COVID-19 remain in the wake of the pandemic<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Feeding America<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> projects<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> that, over the course of the year, “<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>21% of Black individuals (1 in 5) may experience food insecurity in 2021, compared to 11% of white individuals (1 in 9).<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>“<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAnd,<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> according to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>United Nations World Food Programme<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, today there are already around 34 million inhabitants of the planet who are literally on the verge of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>starving to death<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> if no action is taken immediately, which would require <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>an<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> annual investment of 5.5 billion dollars.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nNumbers that may seem absurd and “other-worldly” to most of us. But they become simply odious, considering that all this money is exchanged in the hands of the two thousand and so billionaires mentioned above and their <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>3.1 trillion. An even more unacceptable figure when compared to the loss of income of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>overwhelming<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> majority of the world’s population.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThose “above” get richer, those “below” lose jobs and income<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nA<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ccording to data from the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>International Labour Organisation<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (ILO), <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>world unemployment before the pandemic <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>reached<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 187.7 million <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>people<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, in itself a scandalous figure. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>But it<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> worsened <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>during<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the Covid-19 pandemic, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>re<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>aching 190.3 million unemployed in 2020. A rate that, in 2021, should grow by 5.5 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, jumping to 193.7 million unemployed. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Adding to this, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>there are 165 million underemployed (people who work fewer hours than desired) and 119 million who have simply stopped looking for <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>jobs<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIn<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 2020, the largest job losses were recorded in the Americas (10.3%), particularly Latin America, where, according to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>UN <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (ECLAC), the pandemic is causing an unprecedented increase in poverty levels.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nI<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ts<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> report <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Social Panorama of Latin America 2020<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, released in March 2021, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>states that <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Latin America recorded a total of 209 million people living in poverty at the end of 2020, 22 million more than the previous year. Of this total, 78 million people (1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>5.8<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>% of the total population) were estimated to be living in extreme poverty, 8 million more than in 2019. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>P<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>overty and extreme poverty are expected to reach levels not seen for 12 and 20 years, respectively.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIn Brazil, a<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>ccording to the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Getulio Vargas Foundation<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (FGV), around 18 million people <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>were thrown<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> below the poverty line during the pandemic. In August 2020, it was 9.5 million (4.5% of the population). In February 2021, there were 27.2 million people <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>starving<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (12.8% of the population). And it’s worth remembering that the concept of poverty in these surveys actually defines <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>it as those<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> who survive on up to <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>2<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.00 per day.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nThe <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>FGV <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>states that<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, in the first quarter of the pandemic alone, the individual income <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Brazilian <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>workers <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>fell by 20.1 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent in average<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. And, as with all other data relating to socio-economic inequality in Brazil (including Covid’s death toll and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>famine <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>figures), the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>most hit were<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>coloured people<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, the illiterate and the you<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>th<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nTo end greed, we must take power<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\nAs we have seen, the 2,755 super-rich have amassed their <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>US<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>$ <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>13.1<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> trillion not only in the midst of the greatest health crisis in history but also when capitalism is going through its greatest crisis since the 1930s. Proof that we are by no means in the same boat. Ours is crowded with pain and suffering, just like the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>tumbeiros1<\/sup><\/a><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the slavery era. Theirs is a luxury yacht, sailing happily on an ocean of money.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nAnd the overwhelming proof that they don’t give a damn is that to further increase their fortunes, the bourgeoisie widens the gap between the poor and a decent plate of food. In the same period in which they doubled, tripled or even quintupled their fortunes, there was also an astronomical increase in prices, mainly of food and beverages (some of the sectors that profited most in 2020), <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>a food inflation rate of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>15 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> last year, almost three times the official inflation, which reached 5.2 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, according to the National Wide Consumer Price Index (IPCA).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIncreases that affected mainly <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>staple<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> food<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, such as rice, <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>with an inflation rate of<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> almost 70 <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>per cent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the last 12 months, black beans (50%), potatoes (47%), onions (69%), lemons (79%).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIn the face of all this, there <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are no half measures<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. There is no reform possible. There is no way to reconcile the interests of a handful of 1% inhuman beings with the extreme needs of 99% of humanity. The abyss dug by the bourgeoisie cannot be mended. It is necessary to fill it completely. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>I<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>t is necessary that the workers, the poor and oppressed people take back into their own hands the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>wealth<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> that they themselves produce. For this reason, the PSTU defends the need for the expropriation of the big national and foreign groups – industry, commerce, large estates and services – the expropriation of the banks and the centralization of the entire financial system in a single national bank.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nIn addition, it is necessary to suspend the payment of the public debt, put an end to financial speculation and privatisations, re<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>nationalising<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the privatised <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>state-owned <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>companies, ending the subsidies and fiscal renunciations that benefit the super-rich even more.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>
\nHowever, this would only mean laying the foundations to end the enormous socio-economic inequality in which we live. The construction of a new world will only be possible when the workers take control of the economy and, in this way, can define the destiny of humanity, pulling it out of the prevailing barbarism. Something that will only be possible with a socialist <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>working-class <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>government, based on popular mobilisation and democratically elected <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>workers<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> councils.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

1<\/a> Tumbeiro: Portuguese word designating the ships that transported black slaves from Africa to Brazil. The <\/span>word derives from \u201ctumba\u201d, or tomb, because of the great number of deaths that occurred during the trip.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In one year, the Covid-19 pandemic has killed almost 3 million people in the world, around 350,000 of them in Brazil, which today carries the shameful mark of being responsible for one-third of the daily deaths caused by the coronavirus. Meanwhile, if it were not enough for us to live in permanent mourning, the socio-economic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":66103,"menu_order":249,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"litci_post_political_author":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3508,30,3493],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-brazil","category-coronavirus","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\nFeasting on coffins: billionaires surge during the pandemic - International Worker's League<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/litci.org\/en\/66102-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Feasting on coffins: billionaires surge during the pandemic - International Worker's League\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In one year, the Covid-19 pandemic has killed almost 3 million people in the world, around 350,000 of them in Brazil, which today carries the shameful mark of being responsible for one-third of the daily deaths caused by the coronavirus. 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