Brazil's Michel Temer inherits presidency on shaky ground

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Brazil's Michel Temer inherits presidency on shaky ground

Peter Prengaman, Associated Press

Updated 10:19 pm, Thursday, September 1, 2016



RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The permanent ouster of deeply unpopular President Dilma Rousseff by Brazil's Senate means that a man who is arguably just as unpopular is now faced with trying to ease the wounds of a divided nation mired in recession.

Long known as an uncharismatic backroom wheeler-dealer, Michel Temer inherits a shrinking economy, a Zika virus outbreak that has ravaged poor northeastern states and political instability fed by a sprawling corruption probe that has tarred much of the country's political and business elite — himself included.

. . .

Three of Temer's ministers had to quit within days of being named because of corruption allegations. And so far he has struggled to build consensus around key reforms, such as slimming the country's pension system.

. . .

Although Rousseff has never been personally implicated, many blame her for the graft because much of it happened while her party was in power. Temer, on the other hand, has been directly implicated: In a plea bargain, former Sen. Sergio Machado said that Temer asked him to channel $400,000 in Petrobras kickbacks to 2012 Sao Paulo mayoral candidate in Temer's party. Temer denies wrongdoing and has not been charged.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Brazil-s-Michel-Temer-inherits-presidency-on-9196750.php

[Tempest]

1. This is going to be a case of better the devil you know

Temer is much more corrupt than Rousseff was accused of.

I don't see him lasting long.

[Coyotl]

2. Sort of like bank robbers inherit their wealthy on shaky grounds?

What a lame headline to describe a coup d'etat.

[Judi Lynn]

3. You bet. Corporate "news" media aren't going to acknowledge the whole truth on this one.

They have to spin it so it will always favor the right-wing, regardless. That's their permanent position now.

I was hoping people might take the time to note who the demonstrators have been from the first in the anti-Dilma parades, cavorting in the streets. Always the same kinds of people, same as we've seen in other pro-right demonstrations. Lotta blond, European descended peeps who look NOTHING at all like the vast majority of the people in their countries.

[Warpy]

4. The coup might be in power for now

but they're not going to be able to hang onto it for long.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Cuba Condemns 'Coup D'Etat' Against Dilma Rousseff in Brazil

Cuba Condemns 'Coup D'Etat' Against Dilma Rousseff in Brazil
Published 31 August 2016

. . .

The Cuban government "strongly rejects the parliamentary and judicial coup d’état perpetrated against President Dilma Rousseff," according to a statement published Wednesday by Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Relations.

"What happened in Brazil is another expression of the offensive of imperialist forces and the oligarchy against the revolutionary and progressive governments of Latin America and the Caribbean which threatens the peace and stability of nations," the statement said.

Cuba's government said the Senate's vote against Rousseff "is an act of defiance against the sovereign will of the people who voted for her."

The statement also praises the work of the previous left-of-center governments headed by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff on education, health, social inclusion, creation of jobs and eradication of extreme poverty.

More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Cuba-Condemns-Coup-DEtat-Against-Dilma-Rousseff-in-Brazil-20160831-0032.html

[Judi Lynn]

6. Uruguay's Jose Mujica Says 'Coup' in Brazil Was Premeditated

Uruguay's Jose Mujica Says 'Coup' in Brazil Was Premeditated
Published 1 September 2016

"What they had in Brazil was a coup," the former president told workers in Uruguay.

Jose Mujica, a senator and former president of Uruguay, said Thursday that deposed Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was ousted because she did not yield to pressure from politicians accused of corruption—and for not being corrupt herself.

"This woman was condemned for not entering into corruption," Mujica said during a meeting with workers unions in Uruguay. The ex-president said the impeachment process against Rousseff began after she refused to give parliamentary protection to former speaker of the Lower House, Eduardo Cunha.

More:
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Uruguays-Jose-Mujica-Says-Coup-in-Brazil-Was-Premeditated-20160901-0023.html

[Blue_Tires]

7. Temer will probably be out in '18

Not only is he just as inept/indifferent in turning the economy around as Dilma was, there won't be any more World Cup/Olympics boosts...

But mission accomplished, as far as he's concerned...

[Judi Lynn]

8. Dilma Rousseff might be gone, but Brazil’s political crisis certainly isn’t

Dilma Rousseff might be gone, but Brazil’s political crisis certainly isn’t

Paulo Pinheiro

Thursday 1 September 2016 10.24 EDT Last modified on Friday 2 September 2016 05.36 EDT

The vote that sealed Michel Temer’s installation into power in Brazil took place precisely one week after the end of the Rio Olympic Games and just days before the G20 summit. Major disturbances were avoided during the Games and the new president was confirmed in his post just in time to take his flight and enjoy a convenient round of handshakes and photos with world leaders in China. Everything was carefully planned to make the arbitrary removal of a democratically elected president look like business as usual.

That’s not to say the new leadership in Brazil isn’t worried about whether it appears legitimate. Over the past few months, the alliance forged to oust Dilma Rousseff rejected calling the impeachment process that it was sponsoring a coup d’état. Some even threatened to take legal action against those making this claim in official debates. Their narrative insisted that constitutional procedures were observed.

It is true that, unlike the sudden impeachment carried out after just a couple of days in Paraguay in 2012, or the clear use of force in Honduras in 2009, formalities were observed in the surreal trial of Rousseff. For over five months alleged government accounting irregularities were treated as one of the most serious crimes in Brazilian political history and were carefully analysed by zealous legislators, including some accused of many crimes themselves, ranging from corruption to money laundering. Suddenly the same country that was capable of silently coping with a routine of impunity in notorious cases of state violence, such as the mass murder of street children or landless workers, became fixated on the legality of administrative budgeting orders.

Irrespective of such bizarre and creative legal analysis, Rousseff’s fate was decided long before the last vote in the senate, by the collapse of the heterogeneous coalition that sustained her government and that made her the easy prey of an ultra-conservative legislature rattled by uncontrolled corruption investigations.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/01/dilma-rousseff-brazil-political-crisis-conservatives-corruption

Good Reads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016166456