Temer takes over Brazil presidency on shaky ground
The permanent ouster of deeply unpopular President Dilma Rousseff by Brazil’s Senate means that a man who is arguably just as unpopular is now faced with trying to ease the wounds of a divided nation mired in recession.
Long known as an uncharismatic backroom wheeler-dealer, Michel Temer inherits a shrinking economy, a Zika virus outbreak that has ravaged poor northeastern states and political instability fed by a sprawling corruption probe that has tarred much of the country’s political and business elite — himself included.
So far he’s struggled in the nearly four months he’s served as interim president following Rousseff’s May impeachment, which suspended her from office while a final trial was prepared. The Senate’s 61-20 vote on Wednesday to permanently remove her means Temer, who had been her vice president, will now serve out her term, which ends in late 2018.
Just hours after Rousseff was removed, Temer assured the nation his administration was up to the task.
“From today on, the expectations are much higher for the government. I hope that in these two years and four months, we do what we have declared — put Brazil back on track,” he said.
Temer also denied that the proceedings were a coup against Rousseff, which she repeatedly claimed throughout the process.
“Putschist is you,” he said, referring to Rousseff. “It’s you who is breaking the constitution.”
Temer said he planned to attend the G20 meetings in China this weekend, mentioning bilateral meetings that leaders from Spain, Japan, Italy and Saudi Arabia have already requested.
“We are traveling to show the world that we have political and legal stability,” he said. “We have to show that there is hope in the country.”
Whether Temer can convince Brazilians that he is worth a real shot is unclear.
He appeared tone-deaf with his first move in May: appointing an entirely white, male Cabinet to oversee a nation of 200 million people where more than 50 percent identify as black or mixedrace.
Three of Temer’s ministers had to quit within days of being named because of corruption allegations. And so far he has struggled to build consensus around key reforms, such as slimming the country’s pension system. Government ministers are promising progress now that “interim” is no longer part of Temer’s title. “With the end of the interim period and a vote of more than 60 senators, the investors will start bringing jobs again,” said Cabinet chief Eliseu Padilha.