RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – President Jair Bolsonaro’s strategy to form a strong support base in Congress involves an election to the command of the Chamber, today in the hands of Rodrigo Maia. In an attempt to attract the ‘Centrão’ (center and center-right political parties) by offering positions – ranging from Banco do Nordeste’s (Northeast Bank) directorates to secretariats in Ministries -, Bolsonaro also supports a candidate to succeed Maia in the presidency of the Chamber in 2021.
Behind the scenes, the President is mobilizing allies to boost Deputy Marcos Pereira’s campaign in this race, scheduled for February 2021. Pereira, now the First Vice President of the Chamber, commands the Republicanos, a party that recently accepted into its ranks two of President Bolsonaro’s sons – Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and City Councilor Carlos Bolsonaro, both from Rio de Janeiro. The two joined Republicanos because the inchoate Alliance for Brazil has not yet secured enough supporting signatures to contest elections.
A licensed pastor of the Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus (Universal Church of the Kingdom of God), Pereira is one of the Centrão’s postulants for the helm of the Chamber. The evangelical backbenchers are currently the main supporters of Bolsonaro in Congress.
Another candidate for the position who enjoys the President’s approval is Deputy Arthur Lira, leader of the PP (Progressive Party) but is a defendant in a passive corruption lawsuit. Bolsonaro’s plan is to see which of the two will be faithful to his project and be more viable, further down the line.
Maia and the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre, will not be able to run for reelection unless the rules change. The Constitution prevents the presidents of the Chamber and Senate from being re-elected twice. However, prior to the Coronavirus crisis, there was a movement to remove that restriction, particularly by Alcolumbre, who even commissioned legal advice.
Bolsonaro, on the other hand, is certain that he needs to find an alternative to Maia. Among other reasons, it is up to the Chamber president whether or not to authorize the processing of any motion for impeachment in the Chamber.
Positions
In another front to seek parliamentary support, the Planalto decided to hasten the handover of administrative posts to Centrão parties. However, Bolsonaro has imposed a filter: the candidates cannot have worked in PT (Workers’ Party) administrations. In addition, the Planalto will monitor everyone’s social media.
The DEM (Democrats) party, to which Maia belongs, will lose the command of the São Francisco and Parnaíba Valleys Development Company (CODEVASF), which is to be handed over to PP Deputy Lira and Senator Ciro Nogueira. According to recent arrangements, Valdemar Costa Neto’s PL (Liberal Party) will be vouchsafed the control of Banco do Nordeste. The government also pledged to Valdemar’s party the National Health Surveillance Secretariat, a post that devises strategies to fight the coronavirus. The Republicanos party, in turn, could hold a secretariat in the Ministry of Regional Development. Marcos Pereira was Minister of Industry, Foreign Trade and Services under Michel Temer.
Bolsonaro will be holding another round of talks in the coming days. On Wednesday, he hosted Deputy Baleia Rossi, president of the MDB (Brazilian Democratic Movement). Today, a meeting will be held with the mayor of Salvador, ACM Neto, who heads the Democrats (DEM) party.
However, on Sunday, when attending a protest that advocated the closure of Congress and the Supreme Court, the President attacked what he termed the old politics. “We do not want to negotiate anything. We want action for Brazil”, he said, standing on the back of a pickup truck, outside the Army Headquarters.
For Deputy Efraim Filho, leader of the Democrats in the Chamber, the differences should be dismissed at this point. “Talking about military intervention, on the one hand, and impeachment, on the other, is a disservice to Brazil. We already have health crisis, an economic crisis and a new political crisis would not be welcome”, he said.
“We need a national unity pact to face Covid-19. This is not the time for political dispute or aggressive speeches,” Baleia Rossi said.
Source: O Estado de S. Paulo