PSDB Reelects Senator Aécio Neves to Lead Opposition in Brazil

By Jay Forte, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Sunday (July 5th) the PSDB, which mounted the close run for presidency in 2014, reelected Senator Aécio Neves of Minas Gerais as their party president. Neves called for unity around the opposition parties and for the resumption of economic growth as a solution to the crisis.

The senator received 99.34 percent of the vote to fulfill another term of two years. He spoke to the PSDB about the principles heralded by the party: “I reaffirm the basis of our ideas, such as the defense of freedoms, the validity of the rule of law, the independence of institutions and the relentless pursuit of renewed economic growth, with the balance of public accounts and social inclusion.”

Adding, “The law is for everyone and should be applied matter who gets hurt. Inspection and control bodies should be strengthened, especially now, when they are attacked by those who should defend them.”

The governor of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin also spoke and said that, “We have a responsibility to defend the public interest, propose measures to stimulate job creation. We also support political reform that reduces the number of parties.”

According to government media, the new executive committee of the PSDB will have as general secretary Congressman Silvio Torres (SP) and as vice presidents senators Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (SP), Tasso Jereissati (EC), Flexa Ribeiro (PA), the deputies Giuseppe Vecci (GO), Bruno Araújo (PE) and Mariana de Moraes Carvalho (RO) and former Sao Paulo Governor Alberto Goldman.

In October last year, incumbent President Dilma Rousseff won re-election by a straight margin in a run-off round over opposition candidate Aécio Neves in the closest presidential race Brazil had seen since 1985. With 99.7 percent of votes counted Rousseff obtained 51.6 percent of the valid votes while Neves received 48.4 percent.

Since then public opinion has shifted away from the administration and PT party, as the economy suffers and continued corruption scandals come to light. The latest Datafolha opinion poll from March shows that more than half of Brazilians classify President Dilma Rousseff’s administration as well as the Brazilian Congress as bad or terrible.