Bernardo: "Eduardo is going to lay a heavy hand on Aécio"
Former Minister of Communications under President Dilma Rousseff, Paulo Bernardo, analyzes this year's presidential race and predicts she will face "a tough contest" for reelection; he analyzes the candidacies of Senator Aécio Neves and the governor of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos, of the PSB party, and is more critical of the latter: "Is Aécio going to save our economy?"; with his former Pernambuco ally, the criticism is more lenient: "The investments there are from the federal government. But he's a guy who works, right?"; Bernardo believes that, in reality, Aécio and Eduardo want to "strengthen themselves for 2018" and predicts that the two will find themselves in a difficult position in this year's race.
247 Former Minister of Communications in President Dilma Rousseff's government, Paulo Bernardo, analyzes this year's presidential race and predicts that the Workers' Party candidate will face "a tough contest" to be re-elected.
In an interview with the newspaper O Estado de São Paulo, in this Sunday's edition, Bernardo comments on the candidacies of Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB) and the governor of Pernambuco, Eduardo Campos, from the PSB, and is particularly harsh on the latter. "Is Aécio the one who will save our economy?"
With his former ally from Pernambuco, the criticism is more flexible. "The investments there are from the federal government. But he's a guy who works, right?"
He also comments on how the PT's core group will view a possible ticket with Eduardo Campos as the head of the party and Marina Silva as his vice-presidential candidate.
"Eduardo Campos and Marina Silva were allies of the government. She was a member of the PT (Workers' Party) and Minister of the Environment in Lula's government. Isn't that a difficult duo to face? We'll debate with Eduardo, who should have Marina as his running mate. I like his style. He's a hard worker, right? He gets down to business."
Paulo Bernardo believes that, in reality, Eduardo and Aécio want to stake their claim now in order to "strengthen" themselves for 2018, and predicts that the two will clash "along the way" in this year's election.
"He (Eduardo Campos) and Aécio are unknowns. It's clear that Eduardo and Aécio want to win now, but they also have a Plan B, which is to stay ahead for 2018. I think the two will clash in the middle of the campaign. Eduardo will really lay into Aécio."
Regarding the "terrorism" perpetrated by business leaders against the Dilma government's economy, he says that the problems between the sector and the Presidential Palace can be resolved without much disruption. But he cautions: "Business leaders sulking won't work."
The former minister's statement comes in response to the president of the Institute for Studies for Industrial Development (Iedi), Pedro Passos, who also told Estadão that business leaders have lost confidence in the government.
In a good-humored way, however, Bernardo downplays it. "We need to have a good 'DR' (discuss the relationship) with the businessmen."
Regarding the opposition's alleged "terrorism" against the economy, the former minister implied that the opposition and "the media" are working together. "Our opposition waits for what the media says. It's like taking an inanimate object and giving it an electric shock. At best, it creates a Frankenstein."