Obama to Run
for Office in Brazil … with bin Laden! (Terra, Brazil)
U.S. President Barack Obama and
terrorist Osama bin Laden were long in conflict, until the al-Qaeda leader was
killed in a military operation in May 2011. More than three years have gone by,
and far from the United States and the Middle East, Brazilian versions of the
two are vying for the post of federal deputy in the October elections. ... In Brazil, elections are a people's celebration, so candidates should be able to use whatever names they like, as long as they don't infringe on decency and isn't ridiculous or irrelevant.
Brazilian versions of U.S. President Barack Obama and
terrorist Osama bin Laden, who was captured and killed in a military operation
in May 2011, will vie for to be elected as federal deputies in different states
of the country in the legislative elections on October 5. Since candidates in
Brazil have a relative freedom to choose the names that will appear on the
ballot, many opt for names that are less than "orthodox."
In
Rio de Janeiro, for example, Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos [left] of the Labor
Party is candidate Barack Obama Cláudio Henrique. A businessman with a black
complexion like the North American president, Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos has been
a candidate on municipal elections and has already run to be a federal deputy in
the same state in 2008 and 2010.
Terra Brasil reports that the Brazil Ministry of Public Elections
challenged Cláudio dos Anjos's
request to use the name Barack Obama Cláudio Henrique on the ballot, but on Aug.
18, the Regional Election Tribunal of Rio de Janeiro found that there is no
doubt as to the identity of the candidate, that the name doesn't infringe on
decency, and isn't ridiculous or irrelevant. On Tuesday, Barack Obama Cláudio
Henrique launched his official election candidacy with the slogan "Vote
for Barack Obama!"
'Pajamas' and 'The Disgusting
One' are also running
Brazil's electoral laws give candidates plenty of leeway in
choosing the name they want to use in campaigns. The Regional Electoral
Tribunal of Rio de Janeiro has decided that, based on a resolution of the Supreme
Electoral Tribunal, that the name indicated on the ballot must be at least 30
characters long and may include your own first name, last name, a nickname, an
abbreviated name, or a name by which the candidate is best known, as long as it
doesn't establish doubt as to the candidate's identity, and as was previously
mentioned, doesn't infringe on decency and isn't ridiculous or irrelevant.
The president of the Regional Electoral Tribunal of Rio de
Janeiro said while the Tribunal was in session that the elections are a "people's
celebration," and as such, it is up to the voter to choose who they want
to represent them. Judge Bernardo Garcez authorized the registration of other
candidates who chose unusual names.
"Pajamas [Pijama]," "The Disgusting One [O Nojento],"
"Chupacabra" and "Dibruço" [face down] were some of the odd names chosen
by politicians in Rio de Janeiro who want to be federal deputy candidates.
Another
Obama and two Bin Ladens
The choice of an unorthodox name to present yourself at the polls is not exclusive to candidates in Rio
de Janeiro election circles. In São Paulo alone, there is another Obama and two
bin Ladens up for the role of federal deputy.
Manoel dos Santos Silva Irmão
[left] chose the name of the former al-Qaeda leader, in addition to submitting a
photo that shows him sporting a dense beard like the one once displayed by the
Saudi terrorist. The candidate is from João Alfredo,
in Pernambuco, and is a member of the National
Ecological Party.
Also in São Paulo State, Cosme Antonio Euzébioda Silva [right] of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party
physically looks like the North American president, and his name on the ballot reads
Cosme Barack Obama.
Moving up to the State of Amazonas, Manoel Nunes de Assis [left] (National
Labor Party) and his gray beard are running to be a federal deputy under the
name Osama bin Laden. From Açudina, in Bahia, Manoel Nunes de Assis was a
candidate for the same post in 2010, but at the time chose to call himself
Baiano PoetaManoelAssis [after Bahian Poet ManoelAssis].
In
Rio de Janeiro, for example, 
