JOURNALfor the STUDYof ANTISEMITISM

2011] ANTISEMITISM IN BRAZIL 163
authorities requesting a relocation because of concerns about potential
security issues connected with an underground station. This issue became a
big argument between those in favor and those opposed, with a strong
amplification through social networks. A self-styled “humorist” posted on
Twitter a heavily antisemitic comment—“The Jews are opposed to the station
because the last time they got close to a train was on the way to
Auschwitz”—claiming that the Jews of the area were opponents of the poor
population, who actually would be the beneficiaries of the new underground
station. He twitted a phrase that provoked both a heavy traffic of additional
antisemitic postings as well as intense reaction from the Jewish community
and the general public.
IRANIAN INFLUENCE
Lula was warm with the Iranians, as part of his aspiration for a place in
the UN’s Security Council.
The visit of Iran’s president in 2010 generated tensions between him
and the authorities of the Jewish community. Lula’s declaration saying that
Iran had “free elections” was much criticized.
With Rousseff, there are some indications of slight changes in the Brazilian
position related to Iran. She criticized in the press the execution of
women by Iranians. In the past, she herself suffered human rights abuses
during the times of dictatorship in Brazil, so she is actually sensitive to this
issue.
Recently, Brazil’s new government for the first time did not agree to
participate in an international mission to monitor Iranian nuclear installations.
Rousseff said that her administration is going to segregate between
Brazilian position on the nuclear issue with Iran and on the human rights
issue.
Brazilian borders are huge and very open and we have frontiers with
Venezuela, where Iranians can enter freely. This worries the Jewish community.
Húgo Chávez, the president of Venezuela, was a good friend of
Lula. The concerns with the free entrance to his neighbor country for Iranian
terrorists is serious for the Jewish communities, but it is not the point
of view of Brazilian authorities, and most Brazilian politicians find very
difficult to accept that terrorism can happen in our country. Jewish authorities
in Sao Paulo are working very hard to show to the security command of
the state that there are increasing risks of having problems during the next
Olympic Games and the World Cup.