Wyllys supports Dilma and says: "My place is not on the wall"

247 – Jean Wyllys, a federal deputy re-elected for the PSOL party in Rio de Janeiro, declared his vote for President Dilma Rousseff in a letter published on Facebook. He says that the PSDB presidential candidate Aécio Neves represents regression. Read:

A letter from beyond the wall (or why Dilma now)

The wall is definitely not my place. I've never liked walls, neither real nor imaginary or metaphorical ones. I've always preferred bridges or open doors and windows, real or imaginary. These represent communication and, therefore, understanding. But when, unfortunately, a wall is erected in their place, I cannot try to balance myself on it. The right thing to do is to assess with discernment and choose the side of the wall that is most in line with what one expects from life. The correct thing to do is to take a stand; to position oneself even if the position taken is not the ideal one, but the closest to it. Never wash your hands like Pilate—which cost Jesus his execution—nor suggest dividing the baby disputed by two mothers in half.

I know that every choice is a renunciation. And, therefore, I am prepared for the insults and attacks from those who would like me to make a similar choice to theirs.

Out of respect for the internal democracy of my party, I awaited the decision of the national leadership before sharing my position on the second round with you. And now that PSOL has expressed its opinion, I will do so as well.

First of all, I want to say that I am very happy and proud of the role Luciana Genro played throughout the entire campaign. Never before has a presidential candidate assumed, in all debates, interviews, and speeches—and, above all, in the presented government program—such a clear commitment to defending the human rights of everyone. Luciana was the first candidate to use the words "transphobia" and "homophobia" in a presidential debate, in addition to openly defending equal civil marriage, the gender identity law, and the criminalization of homophobia in the terms that I myself defend; but she was also the first to defend, without euphemisms, the legalization of abortion and marijuana as effective means of reducing mortality among the poor and Black population, the taxation of large fortunes, the demilitarization of the police, and other issues that I consider fundamental. PSOL emerged from the election strengthened.

Now, in the second round, the election is between the two candidates chosen by the population: Dilma Rousseff and Aécio Neves. And I will not shy away from this choice because, although I have strong criticisms of both, I believe there are important differences between them.

The candidacy of Aécio Neves – with the likely support of Marina Silva (and the already declared support of the fundamentalists MAL-AFAIA and Pastor Everaldo; the ultra-reactionary Levy Fidélix; the gang of fascist defamers whose surname is Bolsonaro; and the PSB of the obscurantist pastors Eurico and Isidoro) – represents a regression: moral conservatism, ultra-liberal economic policy, fewer social and inclusion policies, more criminalization of social movements, more corruption (yes, contrary to what part of the press suggests, the PT is a party less entangled in corruption schemes than the PSDB), and more repression of political dissent and fewer civil rights.

Even with all the criticism I have made, make, and will continue to make of the PT governments, the memory of the PSDB era reminds me how much worse things can get. On the other hand, Aécio represents a coalition of far-right parties, with an even more conservative base in parliament than Dilma's government. This right-wing political-ideological alignment between the Executive and Legislative branches is a danger to democracy!

Those of you who follow my positions in Congress, in the press, and here know how critical I have been, during these four years, of the faltering and retreating policies of the Dilma government and the type of governance that the PT (Workers' Party) built. But you also know that I am horrified by this anti-PT sentiment of the "yellow magazine" readers, due to its UDN-style, religiously fundamentalist, classist, and ultra-liberal content in economic and social matters. I consider it a threat to the achievements already made, which are not all those I desire, but they exist and are important, especially for the poorest. The manifestations of racism and classism that I have seen in recent days on social media against the people of the Northeast, to which I belong as a Bahian living in Rio, horrify me even more!

Therefore, going a little further than the position of the PSOL national leadership, which declared "No vote for Aécio," I declare that, in this second round of elections, I will vote for Dilma and support her, while assuring you, from now on, that I will oppose her government from the left (therefore, an opposition based on justice, ethics, my convictions, and republicanism), supporting what is consistent with the causes I defend and opposing what I consider contrary to the interests of the general population and those I represent in Congress, as I have always done.

Today, before sharing these words with you, I contacted President Dilma's campaign coordination to state my position in advance and demand a clear commitment from her to minimum agendas that are very important to me and to everyone who entrusted me with their vote.

And President Dilma, after arguing that little progress was made in guaranteeing the human rights of minorities because, in her first term, she had to consider the balance of power within her base and prioritize the most urgent social policies, assured that, this time, she will:

1. To make every effort within her power as president to convince her base to criminalize homophobia in line with the defense of a minimal penal state;

2. To make every effort within her power as president to mobilize her base in the Legislature to legalize something that is already a legal reality: equal CIVIL marriage. (She stressed, however, that she will reassure religious leaders that she will never take any action to coerce churches into performing marriage ceremonies; the president made it clear that her commitment is to the legalization of CIVIL MARRIAGE – the kind that can be dissolved by divorce – between people of the same sex);

3. To invest more resources in policies for the prevention and treatment of STIs/AIDS, taking into account the populations most vulnerable to the disease;

4. Give greater attention to the demands of indigenous peoples, reconciling the fulfillment of these demands with sustainable development;

5. and implement the National Education Plan (PNE) in order to ensure inclusive, quality education for all, without discrimination against people with physical and cognitive disabilities, LGBT people, and followers of minority religions, such as religions of African origin.

For all these reasons, and especially because of this commitment, I vote for Dilma and support her re-election. If she doesn't keep her promise, I will be the first to hold you all accountable!