Brazil’s Bolsonaro Faces One of the Worst Weeks of Presidency So Far

By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Not even three months into his term and the government of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is already under fire, with criticism being hurled at his cabinet and himself. This week has been particularly tense for the administration.

The tension between Bolsonaro and Chamber of Deputies’ president, Rodrigo Maia, seemed to have reached a highpoint on Wednesday with the President stating that Maia was ‘upset due to personal problems’, alluding to the arrest of his wife’s step-father, former Rio de Janeiro governor, Wellington Moreira Franco, for corruption.

Maia rebutted the statement asking Bolsonaro to ‘stop playing around and govern the country’.

In addition to the tension between Bolsonaro and Maia, cabinet members invited to Congress on Wednesday were put under the microscope by lawmakers.

Congressional representative, Tabata Amaral, was one of the lawmakers who criticized Education minister, Ricardo Velez Rodriguez for his lack of plans for the sector and the high number of dismissals of top educators from the ministry.

“I have to regret what is happening, continue my education work, which did not start with this mandate, and hope you change your attitude – which seems completely unlikely – or quit as Minister of Education,” said Amaral to Velez Rodriguez during a hearing of the Education Commission in the Chamber of Deputies.

Minister Velez Rodriguez answered he would not quit, “I only resign if the President of the Republic asks, if he thinks my collaboration is not being adequate.”

In another part of the Congressional building, Justice Minister, Sergio Moro, stated he would rather withdraw his bill than exclude the item on corruption during a hearing about his anti-crime project at the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Commission.

“No member of Congress has asked me to withdraw the items related to corruption. If there were such a request, I would never agree. I think the three themes are related, so I would prefer to withdraw the project,” he told a room full of lawmakers.

Meanwhile Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes, was also in Congress before the Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee to defend the Administration’s social security bill. Many of the lawmakers are wary of the changes proposed by Guedes and the minister was grilled by senators as he insisted that if the project is not approved the country would go into an economic tailspin.

With his popularity waning, analysts say Bolsonaro must get the support of Congress quickly and push forth projects which would boost consumer and investor confidence. If not, they say, the new administration may face tough years ahead.