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What Has Gone Wrong In Brazil? by Ubongusoro(m): 7:07pm On Aug 29, 2016 |
Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff
is facing the final stage of her impeachment
trial over accusations that she illegally
manipulated government accounts, which she
denies.
Brazil's Senate is expected to vote this week on
whether to impeach her and oust her from
office for good or whether to re-instate her as
president.
Here we take a closer look at the problems in
Brazil and what has gone wrong since Ms
Rousseff was elected for a second term in
October 2014.
President Rousseff under fire
Dilma Rousseff's approval ratings have
plummeted since she narrowly won her second
presidential election in October 2014.
According to a Datafolha poll (in Portuguese)
released on 11 April, 63% of respondents across
the country said her government was "bad or
terrible", with only 13% saying it was "good or
excellent".
Experts say this reflects voters' disillusionment
with a deep recession and a corruption scandal
involving the state-controlled oil company
Petrobras.
The investigation into the corruption scandal,
dubbed Operation Car Wash, has implicated
important figures from Ms Rousseff's Workers'
Party, but also some of her opponents.
Fight against impeachment
The impeachment trial against Ms Rousseff is
based on allegations that she manipulated the
government's accounts in 2014 when she was
seeking re-election.
Her opponents say what she did was illegal and
warrants her impeachment. She argues it is a
common practice which previous presidents also
engaged in.
Ms Rousseff says her opponents are trying to
mount a coup against her and are using the
impeachment trial to oust her and her Workers'
Party from office.
Corruption
Much of the public discontent is based on the
high level of corruption that has tainted the
highest echelons of business and politics in
Brazil.
Since the Workers' Party came to power in 2003,
there has been a series of corruption scandals
involving politicians from the governing party
and also opposition parties. The two biggest are:
Mensalao: Name given to a corruption
scheme in which public funds were illegally
used to pay members of Congress in
exchange for backing the government in
crucial votes. The scandal first broke in 2005.
By the time the Supreme Court concluded its
trial in 2012, 25 politicians, bankers and
businessmen had been convicted, some of
whom were top members of the Workers'
Party.
Operation Car Wash: Name given to an
investigation launched in March 2014 into
allegations that Brazil's biggest construction
firms overcharged state-oil company
Petrobras for building contracts. Part of their
windfall would then be handed to Petrobras
executives and politicians who were in on the
deal. Prosecutors allege that the Workers'
Party partly financed its campaigns and
expenses through these kickbacks.
Widening scandal
Operation Car Wash has uncovered a widening
corruption scandal with dozens of politicians
accused of paying or receiving kickbacks.
One of the most well known politicians to have
been named in connection with the investigation
is former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Brazil's Attorney General has accused him of
playing a key role in the scandal, which Lula
has denied.
But it is not just members of the Workers' Party
who have been named in connection with
Operation Car Wash.
Since Michel Temer took over as interim
president, two of his ministers have resigned
after leaked recordings suggested they had tried
to obstruct the investigation.
Both ministers said their words were taken out
of context.
A country divided
The political crisis has deepened old political
rivalries.
Supporters of the Workers' Party point to the
achievements the Rousseff administration and
that of President Lula brought about, such as
lifting millions of people out of poverty and
reducing inequality.
They say the allegations against them are a
smear campaign designed to drive Ms Rousseff
from office and prevent Lula from standing for
the presidency in 2018.
They say the massive corruption investigations
are a sign that under the Rousseff government,
such crimes are being punished rather than
swept under the carpet as in previous
administrations.
The fact that high-ranking members of the
Workers' Party have been convicted, they argue,
is proof that there is no immunity.
Opponents of Ms Rousseff accuse her of
mismanaging the economy and say her
government is deeply corrupt.
They say they are fed up with the Workers' Party
after its 13 years in power and demand a clean
slate.
Economy in the doldrums
Brazil's economy is going through its worst
recession in more than three decades following
a drop in prices for Brazilian commodities such
as oil, iron ore and soya.
In 2015, the economy shrank by 3.8%, its worst
annual performance since 1981.
Inflation reached 10.7% at the end of last year,
a 12-year-high.
Unemployment increased to 9% in 2015 and
economists predict it could go into double
figures in the coming months.
The forecast for 2016 does not look any rosier
with GDP expected to decline by 3.8% again and
inflation expected to rise. www.bbcnews.com
|
Re: What Has Gone Wrong In Brazil? by 4Play(m): 11:24pm On Aug 29, 2016 |
Lula was riding a commodities-induced economic boom which, at the time, many on the left thought was a well grounded riposte to neoliberalism. Once the commodities boom stopped, it became apparent that Brazil had structural economic weaknesses. The new government, though not representative, will implement sensible reforms which will allow Brazil to recover. |
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