Thread by @OliverStuenkel

Brazil's Vice-President Hamilton Mourão wrote an op-ed entitled "Limits and Responsibilities" in which he argues that "no other country is hurting itself as much as Brazil." Must-read for Brazil analysts. Below a brief interpretation [thread👇]

opiniao.estadao.com.br/noticias/espac…

According to Mourão, "institutional damage was already occurring, but now has reached the verge of folly that is driving the country into chaos."

He identifies 4 problems: 1. extreme polarization 2. Irresponsible behavior by the legislature and the judiciary 3. an "usurpation of the president's prerogatives" 4. political leaders from former Brazilian gov's criticizing the president, damaging Brazil's reputation abroad

According to Mourão, the media is largely to blame for polarization: "The press, the great institution of opinion, needs to review its procedures in this calamity that we are experiencing."

Directly blaming governors for the situation, he cites a text saying that “many States of the Federation have either not understood their role in this political regime well, or else they have been proceeding without good faith”, something that has been costing the country dearly.

Conclusion: "There is time to reverse the disaster. It is enough that the limits and responsibilities of the legally constituted authorities are respected" -- i.e. that people allow the president to do his job.

The only person conspicuously absent from the list of those to blame is president Bolsonaro himself. That's right: he is, above all, a victim of the media, parliament, mayors, governors and former policy makers speaking ill of Brazil abroad.

Irrespective of what Mourão has in mind, the text is laying the foundation for a narrative presidents who seek to undermine checks & balances have argued since the invention of democracy: A concentration of power is necessary to maintain order.

This may be a complete coincidence, but the text is remarkably similar to what Alberto Fujimori told Peruvians in a surprise announcement to Peruvians in April 1992: the country was headed towards chaos. Congress and the judiciary were to blame. He needed to take control.

Back then, Fujimori analyzed the situation in the country and complained about the “old politics”, the obstructionist attitude of the opposition-controlled legislature and the judiciary - groups that, he warned, came together to prevent the country's success.

He complained about “anti-national parliamentarism” contaminated by “vices clientelism”. A politicized & corrupt justice, according to him, was responsible for the "inexplicable release" of drug traffickers, who destabilized the country and made it impossible to govern.

"The irresponsible and negative behavior of parliamentarians does not respect constitutional mandates, as they are consciously violated."

[They lack] the "slightest respect for the presidential faculties consigned in our Constitution."

Fujimori then announced that he would dissolve Congress, suspend the Constitution, impose censorship and arrest politicians. His full speech is available here
congreso.gob.pe/participacion/…

Below a summary of how Fujimori was able to achieve his goals [in Portuguese]:
brasil.elpais.com/opiniao/2020-0…