Brazil's Largest Opposition Party Leader Supports Privatization

05/20/2013 - 09h11

Elected on Saturday as the new president from the largest opposition party in Brazil, the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG) assumed the position defending the government of former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB), and that included supporting the privatization adopted during his term as well as attacking the Worker's Party (PT) administration.

Privatization has been a sensitive topic in the last PSDB campaigns as it was used by opponents to attack the PSDB administration.

Choosing Aécio as the party leader ignites his candidacy for 2014 presidential elections. The PSDB leader and the national party administration were elected with 521 votes in favor from the 535 delegates attending this Saturday party's convention, in Brasilia.

Amid PSDB division on the politician presidential candidacy, Aécio said he does not take over in a "shattered party" but one that is "as united as ever. "

According to him, PSDB will "present itself at the right time", which is in 2014. "It is not the time to deal with this, with an alternative project to what is out there. No matter where our party will be then, we will defend uncompromising ethics, freedom, democracy" he said, despite the rhetoric from some present at the event who had already launched him as the candidant to dispute for Dilma Rousseff (PT) position.

Aécio made an impassioned speech where he accused Brazil of "stagnation". With a candidate's attitude, the party leader started to criticize PT administration --- in both Lula and Rousseff's governments.

"If they had to celebrate the two years (of Rousseff], it would be the ridiculously low, derisory, vexatious PIB" he said. The politician also said PT celebrated its ten years in government because, in the last two years, Rousseff administration was a "failure."

Attacking the high number of ministries in the current administration, Aécio provoked: "I received an email from a friend saying that Sri Lanka has 53 ministries. Be careful Sri Lanka, soon you will be second [in comparison to PT]. "

The party leader said the Worker's Party promotes a "government of friends, for friends", while PSDB will "take care of people, look and seek paths to avoid populism and demagogic measures."

According to Aécio, challenges from Fernando Henrique Cardoso's time such as "inflation, "economic disruption" and the loss of credibility in the country, are back. He mentioned FHC as the president who changed the history of the country. "We guarantee the opening of the economy, with privatization," he said. In recent years, PSDB politicians avoid publicly supporting privatization - a theme explored by the Worker's Party as one of the major criticisms to the opposition party.

He also listed his party historic achievements: the stabilization of the economy "affected by hyperinflation," the Real Plan, the Fiscal Responsibility Law and the "first income distribution programs" - the main theme of the Worker's Party governments.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA

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