Deputy Luiza Erundina advocates dialogue with social movements

The Federal Deputy and former mayor of São Paulo, Luiza Erundina (PSB-SP), said Tuesday (Aug. 18), in an interview to TV Brasil's Espaço Público, that the government should seek ongoing dialogue with social movements to build stronger foundations and deal with the political and economic difficulties.

Erundina emphasized the importance of popular support as she recalled the challenges she faced as the mayor of São Paulo between January 1^st, 1989 and January 1^st, 1993: “If you want to rule under adverse circumstances, with the balance of power weighing unfavorably, you have to rely on support from these social foundations or you'll end up overwhelmed by the current institutional framework, i.e. the legislature, the courts of audits, the economic power.”

According to Erundina, relying on the people played a decisive role in her four years as mayor with only minority legislative support. “I wouldn't take any politically relevant measures without the presence [of the people] that gave us the legitimacy and political clout to confront our opponents.”

She said the government needs to come into closer dialogue with society: “It takes ongoing dialogue on strategic issues and those issues that are more crucial and critical – the budget priorities, the relations between the government branches. Without that, it [the government] will only struggle harder to deliver on the things that they failed to accomplished within [the past] four years.”

Serving her fifth term as Federal Deputy, Luiza Erundina advocates a comprehensive political reform that is not focused on changing election rules. “I'm for a political reform that redefines the role of the State and brings about changes in its structure and organization, in the [government] branches – which are far from harmonious and sufficiently independent, but rather interfere with each other,” she said.

Talking about the proposals to lower the age of criminal liability, Erundina said the agenda does not help advance democratic improvements in the country. The interview went on to discuss media democracy, which the deputy said is a strategic issue. “Unless we democratize communications in the country, we won't fulfill this basic human right to information and freedom of expression.”

At the end of the interview, Erundina was asked to comment on former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's remark that President Dilma Rousseff should resign. “I'd say that if you [Fernando Henrique Cardoso] aren't going to help, don't give us ideas that only exacerbate the problems that are everyone's responsibility to overcome,” Luiza Erundina said.

Espaço Público airs every Tuesday on TV Brasil Internacional, hosted by journalist Paulo Moreira Leite.

Translated by Mayra Borges