Workers' Party Declares War Against Pixuleco Doll; Creators Respond With 'Teddy Bear' Version

02/06/2018 - 10h57

In a closed meeting that took place the day after Lula da Silva was convicted by an appellate court in late January, the president of the Workers' Party (PT), Gleisi Hoffmann, ordered party militants to display "zero tolerance" toward Pixuleco, an inflatable doll of the former president in a prison jumpsuit.

"We expect everyone who defends democracy to rip these dolls into shreds", Carlos Árabe, the Communications secretary for the Workers' Party, told Folha. "They deserve to be torn apart", he added, denying, however, that the party had given official orders to destroy the dolls.

Vinícius Aquino, a member of the Brazil Movement, which created the doll in 2015, found the threats to be funny. "I laughed. Let them declare war", he said.

The lawyer, who copyrighted Pixuleco at the National Library in 2017, said that the doll "symbolized corruption". "If it bothers them and if they believe that [the doll] is Lula, then the shoe must have fit", he said playfully.

According to Daniel Araújo, who is one of the founders of the Brazil Movement, the 'war declaration' against the doll is "a little surreal". "I think they no longer know what to do."

Mr. Aquino copyrighted 11 variations of the doll - one has a ball and chain attached to its foot, one does not have the ball, another has a star and yet another is handcuffed

This last idea will be used as a template for the 'teddy bear' variation of Pixuleco that the lawyer has ordered and wants to start selling after Carnival.

The main feature is that the doll will say "triplex" when its belly is pressed - a reference to the beachfront apartment the former president was convicted of taking as a bribe.

The initial 1000 units will be made in Paraguay, while the sound parts will be manufactured in China.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

Read the article in the original language

	Rodolfo Buhrer/Reuters
	An inflatable doll known as "Pixuleco" of Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seen during Lula's testimony in Curitiba