Brazil: biggest opposition party should join post-impeachment government

Former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso said Thursday (Apr. 28) that the decision on whether his PSDB party will join the new government should President Dilma Rousseff be removed from office is up to the future president, rather than the party's choice.

“Anyway, neither the PSDB nor its members should say no to it. They would have to look what they would be in for. In my opinion, this shouldn't be a certain party's government, it shouldn't have the face of one single party. I would say it's a national emergency. And who would say no to helping the country in an emergency?” said Cardoso, after meeting with PSDB chair Aécio Neves in São Paulo.

The two PSDB representatives met for about 45 minutes to discuss a document with proposals to change the country's situation. Neves says the document will be announced by the party next Tuesday (May 3). “We will introduce Brazil to a set of emergency actions that are nothing new—they come largely from things we have discussed with Brazilian society. And we are going to say they can count on us and our ranks for support and dialogue with society, with the invaluable support of former president Fernando Henrique. And if tomorrow—it's up to Temer, should he take over, to look to the PSDB ranks or other party forces, so let him do so,” Neves said.

Neves assured that his party is going to leave Temer free to make the choices for his administration. “The vice-president does not have to worry about us when it comes to political jobs, and he can be free to look for the best in the country, both in and out of the political parties.”

Translated by Mayra Borges