Brazilian Minister Suggests Executive Should Combat Congressional “Blackmail”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Pressure from Congress to overturn President Jair Bolsonaro‘s vetoes on the tax budget and control some of the 2020 resources increased tension in the government at the ministers’ meeting on Tuesday at the Alvorada Palace.

Infuriated, the Minister of the Office of Institutional Security, Augusto Heleno, banged on the table, saying the government should not give in to Congressional “blackmail” and directed the president to “summon the people to the streets”. However, Bolsonaro called for caution and advised the political go-betweens to stitch up a new agreement.

Augusto Heleno’s anger at the pressure from Congress to control part of the tax budget began early, at 8 AM, during the flag-raising ceremony at the Alvorada Palace.

Heleno contended that the government was “negotiating a surrender” by accepting Congress to override some of the president’s vetoes, and asked Minister of Economy Paulo Guedes and Secretary of Government Luiz Eduardo Ramos to re-negotiate with Congress to try to uphold all vetoes.

In an audio recorded during a live broadcast of the Presidency on the Internet, Heleno said that the Executive branch cannot accept “blackmail” from Congress at all times.

“We can’t accept these guys blackmailing us all the time. Screw them,” said Heleno in the presence of Ministers Guedes and Ramos.

At the Government Council meeting in the Alvorada Palace, the GSI minister again voiced the president’s discomfort at allowing Congress to override his vetoes and control R$30 billion (US$7.5 billion) in the 2020 budget.

According to allies, Bolsonaro’s concern is that he will soon begin to govern under a parliamentary system. During the event with ministers, Heleno echoed the President’s annoyance, saying that the government cannot be “cornered” by pressure from Congress and that, if needed, the people should take to the streets to protest.

The stitching up of the new agreement began to be worked on early Tuesday night at Senate President Davi Alcolumbre’s official residence. In the presence of deputy Maia, the economic team and political coordination committed to persuade Bolsonaro to send a bill amending the Budget to turn R$15 billion that were marked as “amendment of the rapporteur” into funds available to ministries. The previous agreement provided for R$11 billion.

If all vetoes are overturned, Congress will have control of R$30 billion. The new draft now provides for R$10 billion to be placed under the power of deputies to be invested in public policies in hospitals, school construction; another R$5 billion will be shared among senators, R$11.6 billion will be returned to the Ministry of Economy and R$3.8 billion will be placed under the responsibility of the Government Secretariat to be transferred to the education area.

People close to the President have advised against bickering with Congress. In private conversations, advisors use the history of politics as examples, such as ex-presidents Dilma Rousseff and Fernando Collor who were impeached after clashes with the legislative branch.

Allies argue that the government needs to work together with Congress, otherwise the President may be prevented from working.

Source: Exame