eleştirel pedagoji Journal of Critical Pedagogy ISSN 1308-7703 n.65, 2020 July-August-September Accioly, I. (2020). Pandemic, Genocide and Barbarism: Challenges for Critical Education in Brazil, eleştirel pedagoji, n.65. http://www.elestirelpedagoji.com/?pnum=122&pt=65%20Inny%20Accioly Pandemic, Genocide and Barbarism: Challenges for Critical Education in Brazil Inny Accioly Introduction The text discusses the challenges that the popular classes face in Brazil to guarantee the right to life, given the current scenario of barbarism caused by the increased exploitation of labor and nature that are conducted by a fascist government which, amid the tragic scenario of the coronavirus pandemic, leads the country to a genocide. The current Brazilian political scenario is analyzed in view of the president’s sadistic character. Despite of heading the coronavirus-denial group – which has resulted in an increasing number of deaths – the president's approval rate is 33%. Among the poorest, 31% approve the government[1]. It is argued that the unlimited exploitation of workers was possible as a result of a ‘banking education system’ (Freire, 1970) that has historically contributed to the alienation of workers. Currently, it results in the tragic situation in which the worker chooses to walk towards his own annihilation. Thus, it is necessary to deeply revolutionize the ‘banking education system’ to stop the barbarism that leads humanity to self-destruction. Lastly, some challenges are presented to critical educators who work with popular classes in the struggle for the defense of life and against the current genocide of the black people, indigenous and traditional peoples in Brazil. Presidential sadism and genocide In Brazil, the rate of contamination by coronavirus increased fast. The first case was diagnosed on February 26, 2020. On March 15, when 200 cases were diagnosed, the president joined a demonstration organized by his supporters who were protesting against the National Congress and the Supreme Federal Court. During the demonstration, the president shook hands with some protesters despite of be suspected of being infected. He argued that the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) for containment of the coronavirus were overstated and that, moreover, he had the right to greet people.