RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – China’s Huawei has just hired a former president of Brazil to act as an advisor on 5G networking in the region. Through the new hire, the company aims at ensuring the growth of the newer and faster bandwidth in the local market prior to the auction for 5G wireless networks.
According to a ZDNet report, the 5G auction in Brazil was previously set to be held back in March 2020, but the Coronavirus outbreak pushed the date to sometime in early 2021. During this time, the Chinese tech giant, Huawei, faced a potential ban that would prevent it from supplying 5G infrastructure in Brazil. Now, the company has brought in the help of a former President, which brings forth political influence in the region.
Huawei confirmed the appointment of Michel Temer, who is also a constitutional law professor and lawyer. This move signifies that the company is “committed to transparency with all stakeholders.” Temer was Dilma Rousseff’s Vice President until her impeachment in 2016, which led to his becoming the head of the state, who remained in office till 2018. Notably, back in 2019, Temer was arrested as part of anti-corruption taskforce Operation Car Wash.
Interestingly, Huawei’s involvement with the former President for legal advice over 5G in Brazil also brings other advantages for the firm as well. Temer also has ties to the current President Jair Bolsonaro, which is essentially an added bonus for the Chinese company. Similarly, the former leader was also responsible for the appointment of the current president of the board of Brazilian telecommunications agency Anatel.