Brazil: Man from Above

The music from the soundtrack of The Ten Commandments swells to a crescendo, then fades as a clapping chant, "Za-rur—Za-rur," fills the loudspeakers. "Brothers," a soft voice intones, "Jesus Christ told me I should be President of Brazil. But Jesus is not my campaign manager. I am his. If I win, Jesus will govern. I will deliver Brazil into the hands of God. The people are waking up and saying, 'I want Jesus to rule Brazil.' "

Every afternoon and evening, Alziro Zarur, 48, a squat, balding, onetime actor who now bills himself...

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