Faces

There’s no need in sociological surveys or deep analytics. All is written on the faces.

"You have probably noticed that even our brothers - as you like to say, brothas – are pushing us out of Russia."

"We need to get together in a bunch, as we call it a Belarusian style, and to withstand."

“MAZ for me is kind of a threshold, we shouldn’t fall below it. This is my first task to you – don’t go below it!”

“MAZ shell be! It will always be! Whether with me or after me!”

"I will keep this plant, even if I have to take your latest skin off you..."

Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke in aphorisms and slogans, he spoke strongly and confidently. But the people ... their faces ...

These are no longer those full of ecstasy meetings with the president, which were ten years ago. When Lukashenka was speaking and the crowd was nodding in support. When he was saying jokes and all laughed together. When he promised and people truly believed him.

Just look at these faces. Severe, angry silence. And every face bears its own emotion.

The first from the left (barely visible behind the speaker) – a glance from under the forehead and to the side. He has seen enough of the speaker already. Has heard enough.

The second is a hard worker, skeptically biting his mustache. He is holding his hands in the pockets. He knits his brows. The glance is not kind. Not kind at all, as if before the fighting.

Further: a man is looking at the floor with his hands in the lock, a young creature, who is clearly more interested in the photographer than in the speaker... And here is an obvious grimace of contempt.

Even the retired man with rosy cheeks is grinning somehow crookedly. An intellectual in glasses, standing behind his colleagues, looks like a bull ready to attack. Or the ladies who had recently been melting both from the husky voice and the speeches themselves.... One of them doesn’t even want to look at the speaker. Angry and irritated, she looks away. The other is still looking at him. But she looks hopelessly and pitiful, as if at her drunken husband who once again is babbling something in his defense...

Here it is - the Lukashenka’s electorate, on the photo presented by his press service.

There’s no need in sociological surveys or deep analytics. All is written on the faces. Severe, embittered silence. It seems that a little longer and this old man with a microphone will have to run away.

Sviatlana Kalinkina, Facebook