Brazil’s Temer says no Plan B
Insists his government can’t be toppled
• Facing possible corruption charges and tanking popularity, beleaguered Brazilian President Michel Temer on Monday said his government couldn’t be toppled and Latin America’s largest nation had no “Plan B.”
Temer’s comments were his first since returning from a trip to Russia and Norway last week that was filled with gaffes and mounting bad news.
“Nothing will destroy us. Not me and not our ministers,” Temer said during the ceremonial signing of a bill in the capital of Brasilia.
Temer also said that Congress must continue with his proposed reforms to the labour laws and pension system, deeply unpopular measures aimed at helping Latin America’s largest economy recover from a deep recession.
“There is no Plan B. We have to move forward,” said Temer.
Despite the optimism, Temer is facing risks to his mandate on several fronts. Attorney- General Rodrigo Janot must decide by Wednesday whether to bring forward charges of corruption, obstruction of justice and being part of a criminal organization.
If charges are brought forward, Brazil’s lower house of Congress will decide whether to suspend Temer from office to stand trial.
Meanwhile, Temer’s trip last week to Russia and Norway ended up underscoring the president’s problems and Brazil’s diminished stature overseas thanks to a steady stream of corruption scandals the last three years.
Few people showed up at the reception at Brazil’s embassy in Moscow, no top Norwegian officials welcomed Temer at Oslo’s airport and the country’s prime minister, Erna Solberg, gave Temer a public lecture about the colossal “Car Wash” investigation that has upended Brazilian politics and could even jail Temer. “We are very concerned about the ‘ Car Wash’ probe,” said Solberg, adding that it was important for Brazil to “cleanup” corruption.
To top it off, Norway announced a 50- per- cent cut in funds it pays into Brazil’s Amazon rainforest f und because of increased deforestation. The increased deforestation began before Temer took power last year, but environmentalists argue his policies are aggravating the situation.