Actions will be sustained in the main capitals of Brazil on August 2, date in which the Chamber of  Deputies will be voting on the accusations of corruption (see article below) against the putschist president Michel Temer, the purpose is to demand “Direct Elections Now!” and to push the parliamentarians not to support the president.

In São Paulo, the action was denoted as “Watch for Temer’s Impeachment” and the gathering shall be from the 3:00 PM on the Paulista Avenue.

To Vera Machado, member of the Women’s World March, exposing the deputies that are in favor of Temer’s policies, is part of the strategy to overthrow the putsch: “We know that it will not be a great mobilization, but it will be a really important moment of denouncement against the corrupted deputies of São Paulo and we will try to achieve the victory of the ‘Temer Out’”.

The Brazilian Popular Front, an organization composed of social movements, organized the actions. Besides focusing in the removal of the putschist president, the demonstration will inform the population about the social security reform, the last reform to be passed on the National Congress.

The denouncement to be voted on August 2 is the one that refers to the audio recording of the conversation between Joesley Batista, owner of JBS, and Michel Temer, recording in which both are talking about corrupt negotiations. Another proof that complements the denouncement are the images of Rocha Loures, Temer’s former advisor, carrying a briefcase with US$ 160.000.

Michel Temer’s government is the worst rated by the population since Brazil returned to democracy. In an investigation divulged by IBOPE/CNI (a trimestral survey of public opinion realized by the Brazilian Investigations Institute and the National Chamber of Industries), point out that only a 5% of the population approves the actual administration, which keeps bringing negative changes for the majority of the Brazilians.

One of the Front’s ideas is to install TV screens during the actions to transmit the voting live.

An agenda was organized for the whole month of August, in the frame of the struggle against the recent setbacks. Vera talks about the connections that are being made: “There is whole agenda we are planning to carry on. On the 10th of August, we have the women’s activity at the Public Ministry, and later in the Town Hall with the purpose to protest against the withdrawal of the women’s policies at the city of São Paulo, and on the 11th we will have the possession of the UNE and of the Temer Out where we will discuss the situation of the Judicial Power, among other things”.

There will also be a campaign of the Brazilian Popular Front in association with the Youth Day, organized by the Students’ National Union and the Brazilian Union of High School Students, with the purpose to derogate the Labor Reform.

On the Eve of Vote, President Temer Pampers Rural Caucus and "Lower Clergy"

08/02/2017 - 10h09

Folha de S. Paulo

DANIEL CARVALHO
ANGELA BOLDRINI
GUSTAVO URIBE
BRUNO BOGHOSSIAN
MARINA DIAS
MAELI PRADO
FROM BRASÍLIA

The Brazilian government will attempt, on Wednesday (2), to finally dismiss the first accusation against president Michel Temer.

The president was accused of "passive corruption" by Brazil's general prosecutor Rodrigo Janot for allegedly receiving a suitcase with R$ 500,000 (US$ 159,000) delivered by JBS, the largest meat processing company in the world, to Rodrigo Rocha Loures, Temer's former advisor.

This is the first time a Brazilian president faces criminal charges while in office.

Temer spent Tuesday (1) seeking support. He received at least 35 congressmen – including the former mayor of São Paulo, Paulo Maluf (PP-SP), – had lunch with 58 members of the rural caucus and attended a dinner for 100 members of the so-called "lower clergy" (Brazil's less prominent lawmakers).

He introduced, for the benefit of the rural caucus (210 votes), a provisional measure reducing the contribution rate of Funrural (Rural Worker Assistance Fund) and allowing overdue payments to be paid in installments, granting them discounts.

In addition, he reinstated 11 ministers and relied on the goodwill of parties such as the PR and the PSD, which caused at least two State Secretaries to reclaim their seats as congressmen, in order to increase the number of votes in favor of the government.

During the parliamentary recess, Temer had already issued amendments, distributed positions to allies and stated that betrayals would be retributed with less space in government.

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA