Comeback of the old boys: Huawei contracts ex-president Temer, Bolsonaro courts ex-president Collor

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made former president Fernando Collor de Mello (1990-1992) – who resigned from office in the midst of an impeachment trial for corruption – his advisor and political negotiator. Moreover, Bolsonaro admitted his estrangement with his Vice President Hamilton Mourão.

Bolsonaro thanked Collor publicly at an event on Monday, February 8th, in which he called him an “advisor” for having presented proposals in favor of reducing fuel taxes, a demand made by autonomous truckers, part of Bolsonaro’s political base.

The Senator for the state of Alagoas joined the group of advisors after he asked, in January, in a public act next to the President, for the Government to be supported.

The interest shown in Senator Collor, whose government began economic opening and reduction of the State, occurs in the midst of Bolsonaro’s estrangement from his vice-president, Hamilton Mourão, whom Bolsonaro’s supporters and the president’s children brand as a traitor for leaking internal matters to the press.

The incorporation of ex-president into the “bolsonarista” inner circle represents yet another step by the president towards a return to the so-called “old politics” and is in line with the election of Arthur Lira, of the right-wing Progressive Party and head of the “Centrão” political bloc, as president of the Chamber of Deputies.

With his popularity declining (approval 30% and rejection 42% according to one survey) Bolsonaro is attempting to make himself strong in the political world by moving away from the anti-system discourse with which he was elected in 2018, prefering alliances with the military and part of the Judiciary.

Bolsonaro had recently approached former President Michel Temer, who was his special envoy to Lebanon after the explosion in the port of Beirut, but according to analysts the closeness with Collor helps him to seek votes in Brazil’s Northeast region, formerly dominated by the opposition Workers’ Party (PT) of former President Lula da SIlva.

Bolsonaro held an off-agenda cabinet meeting with ministers on Tuesday and sidelined Mourao, who later said he did not feel offended. “I was not invited, I think the president judged that my presence was not necessary.”

On Monday, Bolsonaro spoke by phone with the tabloid police program Brasil Urgente, on TV Bandeirantes, and acknowledged the rift. “With Mourão we recently had an event, we exchanged smiles and nothing more. But it’s all good, at the end of the day the vice president is like a mother-in-law, it’s for life,” he said.

Michel Temer

China’s Huawei has just hired former president Michel Temer 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.

Collor de Mello

Collor was the first President elected by popular vote after the end of the Brazilian military government. He became the youngest president in Brazilian history, taking office at the age of 40. After he resigned from the presidency, the impeachment trial on charges of corruption continued. Collor was found guilty by the Senate and disqualified from holding elected office for eight years (1992–2000).