Brazil's Intelligence Agency Underestimated the Impact of Truckers' Strike

05/28/2018 - 11h56

Brazil's intelligence agency underestimated the impact of the truckers' strike that began one week ago, failing to predict the risk of gas shortages.

President Michel Temer and his aides also ignored warnings issued by the unions, were slow to begin negotiations and wound up reaching an agreement whith conditions they may not be in a position to meet.

For instance, President Temer did not alter any commitments on his agenda during the first two days of the strike - he attended a political event organized by his party, MDB, to endorse presidential candidate Henrique Meirelles.

Only on Thursday (the 24th), which was the fourth day of the strike, did the government start to classify the demonstrations as a "lockout" - which is when businessmen operate behind the scenes instead of workers.

On that very day, when negotiations were held at the Palácio do Planalto (the official workplace of the president of Brazil), leaders of the industry's unions warned the president's chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, that they were not fully in charge of all demonstrators.

Mr. Padilha replied that an announcement needed to be made regardless, maintaining that the country could not be brought to a halt. An announcement was subsequently made, but demonstrators did not comply with the terms that were set forth.

The administration did not reach out to essential public services, such as healthcare, emergency services, public transportation and street patrolling, in time to warn them of the impact the strike would have. As a result, no emergency plans were initiated before gas stations started running out of gas.

The administration failed to organize a contingency plan and was also slow to make decisions on the political front.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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