Senators speak out: Brazil is dissatisfied with politicians.
Senators and party leaders reacted this Monday (16) to the demonstrations that took place throughout the country yesterday against the government and corruption; in common, the analyses lead to the conclusion that there is widespread dissatisfaction in society with the political class as a whole; the PT leader in the Senate, Humberto Costa (PE), said that "what is at stake is not only the issue of the Dilma government or the PT, but politics in Brazil in general"; the president of the DEM, Senator José Agripino Maia (RN), said that yesterday's demonstrations reflected dissatisfaction with the political class, aggravated by the perception of an increase in corruption cases in the country.
Brazil Agency - Senators and party leaders today (16) commented on the demonstrations that took place throughout the country yesterday (15), against the government and corruption. In common, the analyses lead to the conclusion that there is widespread dissatisfaction in society with the political class as a whole, since the demonstrators did not allow the participation of any party representation.
The PT leader in the Senate, Humberto Costa (PE), assessed that the protests were not only promoted by people who did not vote for President Dilma Rousseff, but also by her voters who are dissatisfied. For him, however, the government is not the only source of dissatisfaction. “What is at stake is not just the issue of the Dilma government or the Workers' Party, but politics in Brazil in general, the need for a change in the political culture we have. And I believe that this will only be done through political reform. We must be willing, prepared, and act urgently in this regard.”
Costa also acknowledged the need for his party to present new proposals and reflect on the criticism it has been receiving. “I would say that the PT is going through a difficult time, and it needs to react. And it has begun to react, also with its activists, but this reaction needs to be more intense, including within the party. In other words, the PT needs to undergo a process of self-renewal, it needs to change and make the party's internal culture change as well.”
According to him, the PT (Workers' Party) has managed to implement a programmatic set of goals over the last 12 years that included growth with income distribution, job creation, and improved wages. "We must now move forward to present a new utopia, a new party manifesto, a proposal for the party's internal functioning that opens its doors to society, that does not privilege so-called factions, but prioritizes contact with social movements and a new electoral stance as well."
The president of the DEM party, Senator José Agripino Maia (RN), said that yesterday's demonstrations reflected dissatisfaction with the political class, aggravated by the perception of an increase in corruption cases in the country. “Brazilians are dissatisfied with the government, dissatisfied with the political class, dissatisfied with the actions of the political class, and especially with corruption, which is endemic and, in the popular perception, something tolerated by the PT government in recent years. This makes it necessary for the political class as a whole to reflect, but especially the government.”
Agripino harshly criticized the government's initial response to the protests. He argued that the Ministers of Justice, José Eduardo Cardozo, and of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, Miguel Rossetto, chosen to speak on behalf of the government, presented divergent positions that lacked credibility. "The government had no right, after the events, to put two ministers with diametrically opposed positions in place. One of them preaching democracy and respect for factions, and the other clearly stating that the movement was only composed of people who hadn't voted for Dilma. This undermines the credibility of any initiative the government might want to take to satisfy the demands of the Brazilian people. Either Dilma wakes up, or the people will wake Dilma up," he stated.
The Senate floor was also dominated by speeches analyzing the demonstrations. José Antonio Reguffe (PDT-DF) said that the demonstrators should not be "disqualified," but rather listened to. "It is very important that the president reflects on this. The president is defending, for example, now, a fiscal adjustment, which I have already spoken about in this chamber, that punishes the taxpayer. Before punishing the taxpayer, the fiscal adjustment should be about reducing spending," said Reguffe.
Senator Ricardo Ferraço (PMDB-ES) also asked the president to receive the protests with “humility and respect.” “The signs from the streets clearly indicate that the president needs to govern the country based on our reality, and not with an eye on the next elections, as has been the hallmark of successive governments. The demonstrations asked the government and the president to forget the power project and focus on a national project. And recognizing the mistakes of 'Dilma 1' [first term] is the first step towards this possibility of understanding,” said Ferraço.
Similarly, Waldemir Moka (PMDB-MS) demanded that the government provide explanations and engage in more dialogue with society and Congress. “If the government doesn't have the capacity to admit its mistakes, these demonstrations will only increase – I believe this,” stated Moka. According to him, the policies the government needs to implement, such as fiscal adjustment, are directly related to combating corruption. “One thing leads to another,” said Moka. The senator believes it won't be possible to convince people to make sacrifices if they don't see examples of austerity in political leadership. “We need to do this. These things need to be treated seriously because, otherwise, along with this crisis, Congress will collapse. And then representation is lost,” he warned.