President-Elect Bolsonaro eyes Car Wash judge as minister

Brazil’s President-Elect Jair Bolsonaro, of the Social Liberal Party (PSL), confirmed he plans to invite Federal Judge Sérgio Moro, in charge of the cases under Operation Car Wash, to be his justice minister or to be part of the Supreme Court (STF). Bolsonaro said he would soon talk to the judge, who lives in the southern state of Paraná, where he serves as a trial judge.

Bolsonaro said he intends to confirm the name of astronaut and retired Major Marco Pontes as head of the Ministry of Science and Technology. He had already announced the names of Federal Deputy Onyx Lorenzoni, of the Democrats party, as chief-of-staff, economist Paulo Guedes as finance minister, and retired General Augusto Heleno as defense minister. Heleno was the first commandant of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah), from 2004 to 2005, during the government of former President Lula.

In his exclusive interview on TV Record Monday (Oct. 29), the president-elect also said his government will hold “harmonious talks” with the Judiciary. Bolsonaro said he talked to Supreme Court Chief Justice Dias Toffoli on Sunday (28), and is to hold yet another meeting. “We’re all responsible for the nation.” He said he no longer considers increasing the number of seats in the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro said he will visit Michel Temer to thank him for the congratulatory wishes. “It will be the first person I will try to meet,” he said, adding that the two final months of Temer’s administration will transpire with “perfect harmony.” Bolsonaro takes office on January 1.

Foreign policy

Among the remarks on foreign policy and commercial relations with other nations, Bolsonaro said that Mercosur (bloc formed by Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela—a country now temporarily suspended) has been overestimated, and that the bloc should be given a new treatment. In his view, this came as a result of ideological issues, which protected certain countries attempting to “circumvent” the law. “We want to get rid of the some of the shackles of Mercosur,” he argued.

Bolsonaro also pledged to expand trade exchange and deals in the military field with the US. Regarding Venezuelans coming to Brazil, he mentioned that a number of world leaders urged Brazil to keep offering assistance to Venezuela and to immigrants. He also denied the possibility of backing an external intervention in Venezuela.

The president-elect also said he talked to leaders from Latin America and Europe, which he described as a sign of Brazil’s crucial global role. “I’m happy, because, even though such talks are protocol, they show we can work together with these countries.”

Domestic policy

On internal affairs, Bolsonaro declared he will not interfere in the succession line for the post as lower house speaker. As it stands today, the country’s Chamber of Deputies is led by Rodrigo Maia, (of Democrats, a party aligned with Bolsonaro), who is running for re-election. In Bolsonaro’s opinion, new appointments should be made by the political parties, not him. “I wouldn’t like us [PSL members] to fight for the post of lower house speaker. This would be the beginning of a gesture of humility. Diversifying parties would help increase governability.”

Also in the hands of Congress members are the changes to be made in Brazil’s Disarmament Statute. Bolsonaro advocated the right of citizens aged 21 (no longer 25) to purchase a gun, with definitive possession instead of mandatory license renewal on a regular basis, adding that the rules on gun use should be made flexible, so that people can protect themselves from ubiquitous insecurity. “Whoever owns a gun will be responsible for it. If you want to do something bad, you don’t have to buy a gun; it’s easy to buy a gun. We have to abandon the politically correct; believing that not owning a gun would make the country a better place—that’s not what it’s about. Guns ensure people’s freedom.”

Bolsonaro denied he plans to control the press, and advocated freedom of speech. “Boundaries will be set by readers. The only control is the remote. It will be up for the citizens at the other side of the line to decide.”