Opposing Parties Target President Rousseff to Prevent 'Victimization' of Lula

03/07/2016 - 10h22

The actions of the Brazilian Federal Police's Lava Jato operation on former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was taken by the police to give testimony on Friday, March 4, worried opposing parties.

In the background, the leaders of the main parties opposing the federal government and the PT admit that the bench warrant to which Lula was subject and the intense press coverage of the new phase of investigations created an opportunity for the former president to display himself as a victim.

As it tries not to fuel this movement, opposing parties have agreed to concentrate its political actions on the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and on the attack against her reelection, which has been paralyzed in the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

The plan also includes a same answer to all questions asked on the issue of Lula: that is a case to be dealt with by the police and Brazilian courts.

On Friday morning, there already were doubts regarding how the actions on Lula would be seen by Brazilian people. In private, members of the PSDB and DEM admitted that the bench warrant against the former president fostered the idea that he is the victim of a coup.

The confirmation that this side could be explored followed suit as former president Lula said that he had felt like a prisoner and spoke of the actions emotionally. The PSDB believes that, with this scenario, any sign of social turmoil could strengthen the idea that the movement against Lula has created an environment of social confrontation.

Therefore the order is to express unconditional support to the institutions and Brazilian courts but stay away from the "game" proposed by Lula.

On another front, on Monday, March 7, opposing parties will begin to stall proceedings in congress as a way to pressure for the impeachment and ask the Superior Electoral Court to take the process to investigate the reelection of President Rousseff and the terms of the plea bargain negotiated by Senator Delcídio do Amaral (PT-MS).

Caution with Lula is also the order in the PMDB, the party led by Vice President Michel Temer (SP), the main beneficiary in the case of President Rousseff's fall.

Leaders of the PMDB have already agreed to avoid controversial points on the subject and its implications for president Rousseff at least until March 12, when the PMDB will have its national convention and Temer is expected to be reelected as party president.

Temer's reelection would occur a day before the next national protests in favor of the impeachment scheduled for March 13.

The demonstrations are awaited with high expectations by members of the PMDB who are in favor of the impeachment of President Rousseff. They believe that if the protests are attended by many people, the Rousseff administration will be over by March 15.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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