Prologue

"While other countries nurture their geniuses, we destroy ours," that was a phrase that could very well represent Brazil.

A very famous case that proves this is that of João Gurgel, a man who had only one dream, to create a line of 100% national cars. The Gurgel company created several cars between the 1970s and 1980s, some of which were even used by the military, police, and firefighters at the time. They even created and marketed the first electric car in Latin America in the 1980s.

Unfortunately, due to pressure from foreign companies and concessions from the president at the time, lowering the value of their cars, easing taxes, and giving more space to international assemblers, the population decided to abandon national vehicles and buy vehicles from more reputable and famous brands, which led to Gurgel cars being left aside. João Gurgel still tried to keep the doors open, asking for a loan, but unfortunately, it was denied to him, and in 1994 he declared bankruptcy, selling the brand for a paltry 850 reais. (229.72 dollars at the time)

Growing up in a socially broken country was an immense challenge, it's like playing Dark Souls for the first time and being blindfolded on top of it. Basic education precarious, Healthcare inaccessible to many. Rights ignored or not assured. Security... only for some. In a country like this, even your basic dignity is denied. Brazil is a beautiful country, with a people who smile a lot to avoid crying.

Of course, part of this is the fault of the population itself, which unfortunately, ended up, for the most part, entering a state of social decay, unconsciously developing the 'vira-lata' syndrome. Due to excessive complacency, as long as most of their needs are met and the status quo remains as it is, they are satisfied living in a country that increasingly sinks into debt and stains its image before the world, without seeking significant changes and serving only as pawns whose only real concern is which cell phone to buy or who the next eliminated from reality show will be.

This does not mean that the people are lazy. A mother who wakes up at 4 in the morning, prepares breakfast for her children, and leaves to take 3 different buses to a job that pays no more than a paltry 1412 reais per month (282.71 dollars/current salary in 2024). After exhausting 10 hours of work... often humiliated. She returns home, tired, but with a smile on her face, she still tries to help her children with their studies, with a hope, often vain, that they can live a life different from hers, just one more among the concrete jungle and that they can at least have a little of the dignity that was denied to her or better the dignity that was stolen from her.

"Calling Brazilians lazy... is worse than spitting in their face... it's denying all the effort they make day after day to survive."

With the end of these words, two shots hit a man in the back seat of his own car. The shots came from a gun fired by the driver himself, who then got out of the car and fled, leaving him there. In the car, a man in his 50s remained motionless, tasting blood in his throat and feeling his lungs fill with blood, making it difficult to breathe. In his eyes, there was no fear or anger, just profound melancholy.

His name was Carlos Dias, a former police officer, who retired about 10 years ago when he decided to leave the force and try to enter politics. Coming from what is now known as a 'dysfunctional family' and being raised only by his mother, Carlos grew up in a good neighborhood in his small town. It wasn't an upscale neighborhood, but it was a bit above middle-class neighborhoods.

He studied at good schools both in elementary and high school because of his mother who worked from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. as a teacher at two different private schools. At 18, he joined the army due to mandatory service, and there he learned that the army was more than just clearing lots and painting curbs (internal joke). After the year of service, he gave up trying to study medicine and took the test to enter the CFO course (Officer Training Course - Military Police), where he was approved, both in the test and in the Physical Aptitude Test (TAF).

Carlos gradually rose through the ranks of the police force, however, over the years he became disillusioned with the numerous irregularities and lack of adequate equipment for the police. Many times, an incident report couldn't be filled out due to a system failure, which forced them to release the criminals after a while. Other times, the thief was arrested and the next morning he would walk out as if nothing had happened.

Apart from those police officers who wore the uniform for the wrong reasons. Carlos wasn't stupid enough to believe that every policeman was honest. Being a policeman is one of the lowest-paid and most dangerous professions in Brazil, not even when you leave can you afford to relax. The number of undercover police officers killed in the country every year is alarming. So expecting everyone there to be only there to enforce the law was a dream that would never come true.

Disheartened with the force and determined to try to do more, Carlos decided to do something he never imagined, he entered politics. In Brazil, politicians have a terrible public image. In the eyes of the people, running for office is basically a certificate that you are corrupt. Even the most honest and kind doctor, who always seeks the best for the general population, when entering politics immediately becomes the worst kind of human being there is, and this ends up driving such people away from political spheres, giving space for the same people to remain in power.

Carlos knew this because he saw the world that way himself, he also realized that when a politician 'retires' or ends up being 'promoted', usually the next one is always someone close to him, a wife, a son, a nephew. Everyone always seeks to keep their families in power. Determined to try to change this, Carlos ran for city council. Due to his good conduct in the police and good relations with the general population, he got a good number of votes and was elected. During his time as a councilman, he sought greater proximity to low-income and middle-class communities, always attentive to what could be improved in these communities.

However, his power as a councilman was still limited. Carlos wanted to do more, but he needed time. For 8 years, he served diligently as a councilman, always close to poorer communities and acting as transparently as possible. Of course, he also played dirty, using his influence with the humblest people he tarnished the image of the mayor at the time and leaked some confidential documents that compromised various sectors of the municipality, leaving the population more outraged with the mayor's government. Of course, none of this would send the mayor to jail, and it was just a way to tarnish his public image and prevent him from using public funds to elect his nephew, a 20-year-old boy, as the next mayor. A sly tactic that, unfortunately for them, worked very well.

Carlos played very well with the little he had in his hands. His reputation as a good citizen, with no blemishes on his political or police career, earned him strong public support and, along with a public clamor for change, he was elected as the next mayor. Feeling finally ready and able to bring about changes, Carlos immediately began to address some serious issues such as the lack of funds for health and education in his small town, but that's when he noticed something worse.

Mayors don't rule everything, they need funds and those who decide where those funds will be used are those who take care of the state. Even as mayor, Carlos lacked good support and worse, he was up against one of the current deputies, who was the daughter of the previous mayor. Realizing this, Carlos became a little anxious, but there wasn't much he could do, undoubtedly there would be a reduction in the funds received, not to mention that this funding would still be delayed.

Carlos became very excited about the mayoral elections and failed to see the bigger picture; this game was much larger than he could ever imagine. Seeing his hopes begin to crumble at this moment, Carlos thought of seeking other ways to bring good outcomes to his city. He went after some powerful people who could influence the state government, attempting to bring investments or anything that could help in the city's development. Unfortunately, none of them were willing to jeopardize a good relationship with a deputy for the sake of a mere mayor of a small town.

Gradually, the funds received began to decrease; however, Carlos was clever. He disclosed everything as transparently as possible so that the population could see where every penny was being used, and in doing so, he stabilized his position, preventing rumors of embezzlement from being spread about him and gradually turning the people against the state government.

He didn't say much, but he commanded some people to spread certain rumors in certain places. Carlos hoped to influence the elections that would take place the following year to prevent the deputy who made his life so difficult from being reelected, or at least tarnish her image enough in his city. If a person doesn't have the support of the people in the city where she was born, why would people from other regions support her?

Seeing this, many other opposition candidates gradually approached Carlos while the deputy tried even harder to hinder his life by delaying projects or using her contacts to delay sending funds to the city. However, this turned out to be a shot in the foot that made her even more disliked in the city thanks to Carlos's influence over her electorate.

Carlos imagined that with the pressure he was exerting, perhaps, just perhaps, in the next elections for deputies and governors, he could bring her down, and with the help of the next person in power, he could finally improve his city and kickstart his projects.

Unfortunately, Carlos failed to realize one thing. In the midst of this intricate political game, he was still just a small mayor with no support. He was just a player from the lower leagues dreaming of reaching the top league. He completely underestimated the reach and influence that those who truly rule the country have.

Today, after a routine meeting and while returning home, Carlos was shot inside his own car. Looking at the driver, Carlos just smiled and closed his eyes silently after taking 2 shots to the chest.

He didn't know why someone so close, who had lived with him for over a decade, would kill him, and frankly, he didn't even care. He did what he could to try to change things, but in the end, nothing really changed.

As the driver left the car, Carlos somehow took advantage of his final moments in the back seat of his car to take his phone out of his pocket and unlock the screen.

On the wallpaper, a young couple in their twenties hugged each other calmly and serenely as they looked at a small baby in the young woman's arms. Carlos was once married, but due to a loss, he divorced his wife. In his final moments, Carlos didn't think about his past mistakes, about how his life could have been different if he had taken another path, or about how he could improve the lives of the people in his city. He didn't even think about how to save himself. He only thought about his little daughter who had been gone for a long time and wondered if, before going to hell, God would allow him to see her one last time.

And so Carlos Dias, mayor of Rio Verde, on February 17, 2042, died without fulfilling his objectives. The rumors that spread in the following days indicated that the culprit was the mayor's driver and security, a close friend who discovered the mayor's affair with his wife and who, after killing the mayor, went home where he killed his wife and then killed himself.

Documents were also found in Carlos's house that proved passive corruption and some drugs in small quantities, just enough to accuse him of being a user. Carlos's public image was tarnished with this news, and his reputation as a good citizen and honest politician was thrown in the trash.

The former respected mayor admired for his good work was now, to the entire population, just another dirty and immoral corrupt individual. At his wake, only his mother and a few very close people were present. Not even all the relatives were present, due to the rumors, even the family turned their backs on Carlos and didn't bother to attend his funeral.

As for the real culprits, they were living well, eating good food, and living a full life without any guilt. They completely ignored Carlos's existence; to them, he was just one more. In the end, Carlos was still very anxious in the way he acted and governed, he lacked preparation, knowledge, allies, and most importantly, he lacked power.

As the days passed, people talked less and less about Carlos; as the months passed, only those close commented on him, and even they began to forget him. And after a few years, after his old mother passed away, no one else remembered Carlos.