Q&A with Mel Levitsky

Q&A with Mel Levitsky

Levitsky discussed the election with Global Michigan.

Can you set the scene for the election by describing Brazil’s position on the world?

Brazil has become a big actor on the international scene. So, who is in charge of Brazil—what party and what political and economic philosophy governs the country—is important. Economically, Brazil has done better than most economies in recent hard times and is a strong economic and political player in the global arena.

What are the major issues in the election?

I think a big issue in Brazil in terms of political, social and economic development is corruption and the lack of civic pride among politicians. In Dilma’s time and in Lula’s time, their Workers’ Party has spoiled its image. The party was known as the most honest party in Brazil. They elected a number of popular and effective mayors around the country before Lula became president. Then a number of scandals were uncovered in both administrations. Many people are disillusioned; the idea that when you are out of power, you are honest, but when you have power, you pay off political debts by appointing sometimes unethical people to positions from which they reap improper or illegal benefits. The two Workers’ Party presidents have had more than their share of scandal involving graft, bribes and corruption.

What’s your assessment of Marina Silva?

When a charismatic figure like Marina Silva with such a compelling personal history arises, there is often an initial rush to her. There has been a series of debates on television and she’s done well. Her advertisements are effective. A person of mixed race, like a majority of Brazilians, who was illiterate into her teens in one of the most isolated and backward states in Brazil, but who studied, got a college degree, was elected to the Congress and served as minister of the environment during Lula’s presidency is and should be an object of admiration and enthusiasm. She is also admired for her honesty, candor and openness. But when you add up everything Marina Silva has to offer, besides her personal history, there’s not very much there in the sense of a record of governance. She has never really run anything except for the ministry of the environment, from which she resigned. The policies she would employ and the kind of people she would appoint are not clear.

Who do you think will win?

It’s an interesting race and quite a close race, according to the most recent polls. Those polls seem to indicate that no candidate will attain the 50 percent needed to be elected on the first ballot on Oct. 5 and that President Dilma and Marina Silva will compete in a runoff election a few weeks later. The question is whether Marina’s current popularity will carry her through, and my sense is that it will continue to be neck and neck through the runoff campaign. Both candidates are now in the mid-30s in popular support, though Marina has recently lost a bit of ground. She still polls as the slightly-favored candidate in a runoff election. The race could be determined by who gets most of the vote from Aecio Neves’ 20-some percent. Pundits seem to think that will be Marina because the business class seems to think Marina would be more in tune with their interests. After all, she is a converted member of the steadily growing Brazilian Evangelical Church, which preaches a strong work ethic and free enterprise. Even so, both women have their major support among the middle and lower classes of Brazil, so who wins the votes of those groups will prevail. It’s a tossup, but I give the edge slightly to the incumbent, Dilma, based on leverage, largess and Lula. But, I could very well be wrong.