Group of PMDB deputies sign manifesto against negotiating government posts

A group of 22 deputies, members of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB), launched Thursday (Oct. 1), at the Chamber of Deputies, a manifesto to say that it is not the whole party that is announcing support for the government. The deputies took advantage of the opportunity in a moment when negotiations are being conducted to the ministry overhaul, in which PMDB might run two more ministries, to declare themselves independent and opposed to negotiating posts in the government.

"We launched a manifesto to show society that it is not the whole PMDB that is willing to negotiate posts in exchange for support. I think society is clearly demonstrating that it is the moment for reshaping politics and abandoning the traditional politics of giving here and taking there," declared deputy Lúcio Vieira Lima, from Bahia state and a member of the group. Vieira Lima announced that adopting this attitude, the group "sends a message to the party summit and to society."

In the document, the deputies express dissatisfaction with the country's current situation with "inflation, unemployment, de-industrialization process and public accounts instability". They further declared "that the PMDB has never been even invited to take the government's decisions that led to these crises."

In the manifesto, they say they disagree with any negotiation of posts in the government: "It is not with this attitude that the severe and general crisis must be tackled, but by taking attitudes to recover the lost credibility."

But the PMDB leader, deputy Leonardo Picciani, from Rio de Janeiro, declared that the position of the majority of the PMDB bench is to support President Dilma Rousseff's government: "The support for the government was decided in a meeting of the bench [that lasted] more than five hours, when we voted [to take] this position," reported the leader, adding that "the PMDB has not split."

According to Picciani, the party is committed to remain the governing coalition, as it has been since her first term and in her second term, and will continue to be during the course of this term of office: "I'm sure the government has the support of much more than two-thirds of the party's bench." he announced.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta