In the Lancet, researchers denounce Bolsonaro’s continued attack on science

Jair Bolsonaro’s obscurantism, manifested in his government’s successive attacks on education, health, culture and science, has once again been exposed to the eyes of the world. The first edition of the prestigious British scholarly publication year the Lancet It brings up an article signed by researchers Bernardo Galvão Castro, Renato Sergio Palau Cordero and Samuel Goldenberg, in which Bolsonaro has been denounced for his “continuous attack” on the sector over the past three years.

“Despite the resistance of Brazilian scientists, science in Brazil has been hampered by measures implemented by the federal government in the past three years, such as increased budget cuts, attacks on the independence of universities, and a public policy of deprivation of science,” three researchers point out in the article.

The three remember cutting $110 million from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation budget, as well as keeping $490 million from the National Science and Technology Development Fund. For researchers, Bolsonaro’s scissors put an end to research in universities and research institutes and threaten the future scientific development of the country.

“Consequences include the brain drain of scientists, and the discontent and demoralization of Brazilian scientific researchers,” the group says.

Threats to the scientific community

The researchers also deplored Bolsonaro’s threats to the scientific community with what they classify as “indirect sanctions,” targeting those who dare go against the pocket theory. They stressed that “the recent demonstration of disrespect for scientists was a federal decree, issued on November 5, 2021, canceling the award for the National Scientific Merit awarded to two scientists, Adele Schwartz Benzaquin and Marcos Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda,” the article.

Because my names Benzacen and Lacerda were removed, 21 scientists refused the National Science Merit Medal, which they were honored with in November. Lacerda, which is part of Fiocruz, has taken a stand against using chloroquine to treat Covid-19 patients. Benzaki, a consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO), has prepared a handbook that aims to guide and promote the health of transgender people.

44 other teachers from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) They also protested in a statement against the president’s position. “The decision also provoked an immediate reaction from several Brazilian academic and scientific societies, including the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and the Brazilian Association for the Advancement of Science,” the researchers emphasized.

“Attacks perpetrated by the current federal government are not limited to science and scientists and affect education, public health, the environment and cultural programmes,” accuse Castro, Cordero and Goldenberg. “We hope that Brazil will not continue to be guided by denial and will avoid the decline of science,” they concluded.

Give revision, with information from the Lancet