Glauco Villas Boas was a cartoonist, as known and beloved in
In the early morning of Friday, the 13th, Glauco, and his son, Raoni, were shot to death. I’m not going to dwell on the senseless act of violence, or the grief of the family, or the sad story of the young man who’s been apprehended for the crime. I’d prefer, instead, to share a little of Glauco's work.
To know there isn’t going to be any more of it fills me with a profound sense of loss.
Many of Glauco's cartoons were made for humor alone, but some had a political or social underpinning. The examples I'm showing you are all of the latter type.
To appreciate the one above, you have to be aware of this: most Brazilians know it doesn't do much good to complain to the authorities about anything. And those who do often find it backfires. Prefeitura means city hall. Reclamações is complaints. The guard is saying "Next!"
Brazil's prisons are terribly overcrowded. The guard, arriving with a new convict, is saying "Everybody take a step back!"
The sign on the side of the ambulance reads "Leeches". The people tumbling out are politicians.
Glauco often used cigars to identify politicians. A lion, in Brazil, is widely recognized as the symbol for the tax authorities. There was an instance in which a certain politician was accused of cheating on his tax statement. (Nothing came of it.)
Parlamentares are congressmen. And the Brazilian congress has a long history of corruption.
When several lawmakers vote together on an issue it's called a "bloquinho". The guy on the 'phone is talking to his wife, as if he's reporting from the supermarket:
"Honey, they were so cheap I bought several."
TThis politician's wife is asking, "Isn't there some other place you can hide the money?"
I'm going to miss Glauco. I truly am.
Leighton - Monday
