Brazil: decree law shames Parliament and the political class

In the run-up to the Presidential elections in October, Brazil’s ruling right-wing political class gives another insight into the true nature of their mettle – a law which extends the payment of an extra salary to ex-members of parliament, including those who were expelled or who resigned. “Money for the boys” would be the appropriate term.

“Money for the boys”, while 40 million Brazilians starve below the poverty line, eking out an existence which would never be called a life anywhere in the developed world. No political party from the right-wing which have governed Brazil in its recent history have come up with a single idea to help the average citizen, while 95% of this vast country continues to be owned by the elite 5%.

Yet Brazil’s enlightened political class has a myriad of ideas to enhance and to perpetuate its own vast wealth. Last week, a project for a law to give ex-members of the Chamber of Deputies (Parliament) the right to a thirteenth salary, including those who had resigned or who were expelled, entered the legal bureaucratic wheel. The fact that such a law was ever even thought about, let alone discussed, is incredible.

That it managed to enter the system, being approved by the Chamber of Deputies, speaks volumes about the political class of Brazil, which basically does what it likes during its terms in office, limiting itself to come together once every four years to try to keep out the one man who will give the Brazilian nation what it deserves – social progress. This man is Lula, currently leading the opinion polls with 40% of the voting intentions. Social progress for Brazil means human rights and the right to social mobility for its millions of citizens who have no chance whatsoever of getting a right to an education, through lack of money.

The project for law is due to be passed to the Senate in the forthcoming days. Chamber of Deputies President, Aecio Neves, in a panic, stated that he will never allow this law to be passed up, but many deputies claim that it is too late for any changes to be introduced, and that if the project is shelved, it will be brought up again in the near future.

To note, people who would benefit from this law would be those like ex-deputy Hildebrando Paschoal, who is in prison, for forming and leading a gang which committed crimes in the north of Brazil.

A national shame, a national disgrace…but unfortunately not incredible, rather totally credible in the Brazil we all know. Until there is a real change in the political orientation of this great country, its resources will be closed to the world and nobody, especially the Brazilian people, will benefit.

The decision lies in the hands and political courage of the Brazilian people. To stop this type of event, one of hundreds of such incidents over the years, the people have to vote for Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, from the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Labour).

Marcia MIRANDA PRAVDA.Ru BRAZIL