Politicians believe reform should bolster governability

Rio de Janeiro Deputy Leonardo Picciani, head of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) at the lower house said Friday (Oct. 2) he is pleased with the president's new cabinet team. “The party has been generously benefited by this reform, and now has the role, preserved throughout the history of the country, of serving as the equilibrium point for governability,” The congressman believes the dialogue between Congress and the presidency will grow more and more important from this moment on.

In the Senate, where two PMDB members already occupied cabinet positions—Eduardo Braga, chief of Mines and Energy, and Kátia Abreu, Minister of Agriculture—the party's leader, Eunício Oliveira, stressed that now their main concern should be the country's economy. “I've talked to executives a lot, and the economy must be revived. Executives are worried; they're not near the limit of their patience, but they're near the limit of their investment. There's no employment without investment, and no companies either.” Oliveira claimed.

Appointed as Communications Minister, Ceará Deputy André Figueiredo, who was the head of the Brazilian Democratic Labor Party (PDT) at the Chamber of Deputies, said that the government's support is a given, “if the government's projects do not harm the principles of the political party.” He went on to state that the PDT wants to contribute to governability. “The idea is to vote side-by-side with the government for whatever's good for Brazil.”

In the view of Aldo Rebelo, who left the Ministry of Science and Technology, the reform is a step towards greater and stronger governability, which is key for social and economic stability. Rebelo is once again to hold the reins of the Defense Ministry, as he did under Lula.

Justice Minister Eduardo Cardozo said the ministry overhaul ushers in a new moment and that the crisis is soon to be overcome. “All political forces that form the government understand the moment we're going through, and there's a consensus; a strong willingness to help, not just the government, but also the country. We're going from a difficult moment to a new perspective, a new direction, with plenty of energy and pluck,” Cardozo declared.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira