The least we can say is that the Carnival, which ended on Wednesday, February 26, has not appeased Brazilian political life. On the contrary: since the beginning of the week, a major institutional crisis, with unpredictable consequences, has agitated the country, pitting President Jair Bolsonaro against his own Parliament.
It all starts on February 25, Mardi Gras Day: journalist Vera Magalhaes, from the daily Estadao, reveals that Mr. Bolsonaro shared on WhatsApp, with a few dozen relatives, a video, created by his supporters, calling for street demonstrations on March 15. The two-minute, ultra-dramatic clip features a head of state "Hardworking, tireless, Christian, patriot", and calls down to beat the pavement to defend it from "Enemies of Brazil". Namely, the legislative and judicial powers.
What does it matter if Mr. Bolsonaro is not the author of the video and if it does not directly call for a coup: the essence of the political class, yesterday and today? today, from left and right, immediately rebelled. Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (center right) spoke of a “Institutional crisis with very serious consequences” and his successor Lula da Silva (left) urged the people and institutions to "Defend democracy".
“Calling demonstrations against institutions guaranteed by the 1988 Constitution is a crime of responsibility, said David Miranda, a 34-year-old young deputy from the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL, left). Bolsonaro advances each time a little more to install an authoritarian regime. He has crossed all limits. I hope that Parliament will become aware of the seriousness of the situation and open a dismissal procedure. "
Inexperience and chaos in the executive
More serious: Mr. Bolsonaro came under criticism at the highest judicial level on Thursday. According to José Celso de Mello, dean of the Federal Supreme Court – the highest body of the Brazilian judiciary – the episode would reveal "The dark side of a President of the Republic who does not know the value of the constitutional order, who ignores the fundamental meaning of the separation of powers", hinting that his institution could look into this "WhatsApp case".
Visibly overwhelmed, even frightened, Jair Bolsonaro tried to calm the game, increasing the number of telephone calls made to deputies and senators. "I have been a parliamentarian for twenty-eight years, I am not offending Parliament, on the contrary, I want an independent and active Parliament. Same thing for justice. (…) There is no criticism against them (from me) ", the president argued on Thursday on social media.
