Michel Temer, 37th President of Brazil
Michel Temer took office as President of the Republic on 31 August 2016 after the Senate approved the proceeding to impeach and remove President Dilma Rousseff from the presidency. During the period Rousseff was suspended pending the result of the impeachment proceeding, Temer was acting President for 111 days. With the confirmation of Rousseff's impeachment by the Senate, Temer takes office as President until 31 December 2018. Michel Temer was elected Vice President in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 as part Rousseff's running mate for the presidency. He was Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies (1997 - 1999, 1999 - 2001 and 2009 - 2010). He is on leave from the presidency of the national PMDB (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party), to which he was elected on 09/11/2001 and re-elected five more times: on 04/14/2004, 14/03/2007, 02/06/2010, 03/02/2013 and 03/12/2016. As vice-president, he was responsible for defending the country’s interests in forums, meetings and international negotiations. Temer led missions to discuss important issues with world leaders. In South Korea, for example, he met with Barack Obama (USA), Dmitry Medvedev (Russia), Hu Jin Tao (China), and others, to discuss global nuclear safety. In his international activities, Michel Temer visited countries of the Middle East, the Americas, Europe and Africa with the objective of promoting the Brazilian economy, investment opportunities and partnerships, resulting in the growth and mutual development of nations. Temer also chaired two international discussion forums with the governments of China and Russia: The High-Level Coordination and Cooperation Committee (COSBAN) and the Russia-Brazil High-level Coordination and Cooperation Committee (CAN). In 2011, Michel Temer met with then Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for talks involving the expansion of the beef market for Brazil. Temer also discussed the improvement of trade issues with Deputy Prime Minister Wang Qishan (China) regarding the control of the flow of Chinese products exported to Brazil. Domestically, the vice-president also
coordinated the Strategic Border Plan based on the Sentinel and Agate operations and aimed mainly at combatting criminal activities along the more than 16,000-kilometer Brazilian frontier. As a deputy for six terms, he was selected by Diap (Inter-Union Department of Parliamentary Advisory) in 2009 as the most influential parliamentarian in the National Congress. Additionally, he was among the most influential Brazilian members for several years.
Background
Michel Miguel Elias Temer Lulia was born in Tietê (SP) on September 23, 1940. The youngest of eight children, Temer is Catholic. The family, always faithful to its Christian principles, emigrated from Betabura, in the El Koura region of northern Lebanon, in 1925. On arrival in Brazil, his father, Miguel Temer, bought a farm in Tietê and installed a rice and coffee processing machine. Over the years, Miguel’s activities gained importance. The eldest son, Tamer started to help in the family business. Michel and the other brothers went to study in São Paulo. At 16, Michel Temer started his secondary education. Later, he entered the renowned Faculty of Law of the University of São Paulo (USP), in Largo do São Francisco. He has a Doctor of Laws title from the Catholic University (PUC) of São Paulo. He is the author of Constituição e Política, Territórios Federais nas Constituições Brasileiras e Seus Direitos na Constituinte (Constitution and Politics, Federal Territories in Brazilian Constitutions and their Rights in the Constituent Assembly) and Elementos do Direito Constitucional (Elements of Constitutional Law), the latter now in its 20th edition with over 200,000 copies sold. Temer is considered one of the leading constitutionalists in the country. In 2012, he received an honorary Doctorate from the Instituto de Direito Público – Institute for Public law (IDP) and from Universidade Fundação Instituto de Ensino para Osasco (UNIFIEO), for his work in the legal field and as a Brazilian politician.
Public Career
Michel Temer began his political career as a member of Education Secretary Ataliba Nogueira´s office in the São Paulo state government between 1964 and 1966. In 1970, he became state prosecutor. In 1983, Michel Temer was appointed Attorney General for the state of São Paulo. The following year, he became Secretary of Public Security of São Paulo, a position he returned to occupy the early 1990s. While in charge of the Public Safety Department, Michel Temer adopted modern ideas that were later used as a model throughout the country. In 1985, he created the Security Community Councils (CONSEG). In the same year, after receiving a commission which denounced the beating of women and neglect by the authorities with regard to these crimes, Temer created the first Police Station for Women in Brazil. Also in this period, he established the Bureau for the Protection of Copyrights, an important tool in combatting piracy, and the Bureau for the Assessment of Race-related Crimes. During his first administration in charge of the Public Safety Department, he was encouraged to seek elected office. He confided his dream to the then governor, Franco Montoro: to be a member of the National Constituent Assembly in 1986. Montoro encouraged him to act. He was elected constituent deputy from the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) and actively participated in the National Constituent Assembly where he was known for his moderate and serious position, as well as for his broad knowledge of constitutional law. Following the Constituent Assembly, he was elected federal deputy and served six mandates - all for PMDB. He took a leave of absence from his mandate to oversee the Public Safety Department of São Paulo and, then as Government Secretary. In the first of three terms as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he broke new ground by opening the house to Brazilians through the creation of an important communication system which was responsible for reporting the work of parliamentarians and major debates in the plenary sittings and committees. During this period, the House discussed and voted on several projects that altered the structure of the Brazilian state, with major implications for the modernization of national institutions. In his third mandate as Speaker of the House, he avoided the Congressional agenda being held up Provisional Decrees (MP) issued by the Government. Temer offered a new constitutional interpretation. According to him, a provisional decree only holds up voting on matters that can be the object of the same legal provision. Thus, the voting of Amendment Proposals to the Constitution, Resolutions and Complementary Bills, among other matters listed in paragraph 1 of Article 62, could not be barred. With this decision, which was widely accepted in the legal environment and legislative scope, the House resumed voting on matters relevant to society. His declarations and articles written during the course of his parliamentary mandate are compiled in the work Democracia e Cidadania (Democracy and Citizenship). As House speaker, he temporarily assumed the Presidency of the
Republic twice: January 27 to 31, 1998 and June 15, 1999. From 2001 to the end of 2010, he chaired the PMDB´s National Committee. In 2011, he went took a leave of absence from this position to assume the Vice Presidency of the Republic.
Best Places to Visit in Brazil
Famous for being home to one of the world’s top football teams, the Rio de Janeiro Carnival and the remarkable Iguazu Falls, Brazil is an exciting world travel destination. As South America’s largest country, Brazil covers a majority of the continent’s northeastern region and borders all of its countries except for Chile and Ecuador. From the Amazon rainforest in the North to the tropical beaches along the Atlantic, to the Pantanal wetlands and the vibrant metropolises of the Southeast there are plenty of interesting places to visit in Brazil.
Rio de Janeiro
There is no destination on earth more animated and exciting than Rio de Janeiro. Located in southeastern Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is the most visited city of South America due to its famous mountains, landmarks, beaches and Carnival festival. Rio de Janeiro is situated on one of the world’s largest harbors surrounded by natural attractions that include the Sugarloaf and Corcovado mountains and famous beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema. The city’s iconic landmark is the enormous Christ the Redeemer statue sitting atop Corcovado mountain. Carnival celebrations here are among the largest in the world, with vibrant parades, costumes, dancing, music, fireworks and street parties.
Foz do Iguacu
One of the world’s most stunning natural wonders, Iguazu Falls is a series of magnificent waterfalls located on the Iguazu River, straddling the border between Brazil and Argentina. The falls in and of themselves are a breathtaking spectacle, but their beauty is all the more enhanced by the surrounding lush forest teeming in exotic wildlife. The gateway to the falls on the Brazilian side is Foz do Iguaçu, a big and reasonably safe city by Brazilian standards.
Salvador
A historic Old City, beautiful beaches, lively culture and one of the world’s biggest Carnival celebrations all fashion Salvador into one of the best places to visit in Brazil. One of the oldest cities in the Americas, Salvador is Brazil’s third largest city and the capital of the Bahia state. Situated on the coast of the Bay of All Saints, Salvador offers fantastic beaches that are ideal for sunbathing, swimming and surfing. Some of the most popular include Porto de Barra, Flamengo and Stella Maris.
Manaus
The capital of the Amazonas state in northwestern Brazil, Manaus is an important tourist destination because it serves as a gateway to the Amazon rainforest. As a result of the region’s flourishing rubber industry during the early 20th century, Manaus today is one of Brazil’s largest cities, featuring distinguished landmarks like the Amazonas Opera House, and the Rio Negro Palace. Another significant sight is the Meeting of the Waters, which is a natural phenomenon where the two rivers of Negro and Solimões run side by side for more than three miles without fully mixing.
Olinda
One of Brazil’s best-preserved colonial cities, Olinda is located on Atlantic Coast in the northeastern state of Pernambuco. Perched on a picturesque hilltop surrounded by trees, Olinda’s historic downtown is a treasure trove of colonial churches, colorful old houses, restaurants, museums and numerous artisan studios. Every year, Olinda hosts its lively Carnival celebration that differs somewhat from those of Rio de Janeiro and Salvador in that Olinda’s festival is best attended at daytime and features the music, dances and traditions of African culture.
Recife
Nicknamed the “Venice of Brazil” because of its numerous waterways and bridges, Recife is the capital of the Pernambuco state and one of the largest and most important cities on Brazil’s northeastern coast. Situated amid tropical forests with many islands and rivers, Recife is a popular tourist destination because of its historic old town, beaches and vibrant culture. Recife was a Dutch colony during the 17th century, and nowhere is this more evident than the historic district where many colonial buildings still remain. The beaches here are considered some of the best in Brazil. Lined with hotels, restaurants and bars, Boa Viagem is the most popular beach with its pristine white sands, clear water and coral reef.
Parati
Paratiflickr/Otávio Nogueira A paradise of tropical forests, waterfalls, emerald sea and coastal mountains, Parati is a popular tourist attraction located along Brazil’s Green Coast in the Rio de Janeiro state. Also spelled Paraty, this beautiful city is a former Portuguese colony established on the shores of the Bay of Ilha Grande. The heart of Parati is its historic center with cobbled streets and multicolored colonial houses, many of which now serve as bedand-breakfast accommodations called pousadas. One of the most popular attractions are the colonial defense forts that still boast original walls and cannons.