Commentary: Don't share the load, Lula

www.upi.com By Carmen Gentile UPI Latin America Correspondent From the International Desk Published 2/19/2003 7:02 PM

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Following Brazilian politics the last few days has been a lot like watching the nation's leader shoot himself in the foot ... repeatedly and in slow motion.

After a month-and-a-half of mostly prudent, well-thought governing, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva managed to muck up his administrative works last week by unleashing what amounts to another -- albeit unelected -- branch of government.

The Council of Economic and Social Development, known locally as the CDES, is a group of 82 non-elected business and labor leaders that will advise the administration on how to cure Brazil's various social and economic woes and assist in the development of a reform package that will be sent to Congress.

The idea to create a body of private citizens with the power to bend the Brazilian president's ear seems noble on paper: ordinary citizens given the opportunity to help plot the course of South America's largest country and economy.

What could be more democratic? It's practically a historical recreation of how the U.S. founding fathers -- private citizens themselves -- created a nation out of 13 British colonies. All that's missing are the knickers and powdered wigs.

Problem is: This isn't 1776.

In 21st century Brazil, private citizens were already given their opportunity to determine how the country should be run when they went to the polls and chose Lula to lead the nation for the next four years.

Now, instead of shouldering that responsibility, Lula has brought in some mercenaries that could help him push his widespread reform proposals through Congress in the coming months.

Earlier this week, the president addressed a joint session of the Brazilian Congress asking them for their help in revamping Brazil's bogged-down welfare and pension plans, political and economic policies, and support for new social initiatives like his effort to eradicate hunger nationwide.

Lula stressed the shared responsibility each branch of government had in passing reforms the president maintains would help Brazil avert a deepening social and economic crisis.

"It is with the feeling of an outstretched hand, of mutual responsibility among all officials, and above all, of national understanding, that I bring my message to his house," said Lula.

"They are reforms called for by the people," he said, adding "they should be made so that the country grows again, so that the country can travel the extensive highway of economic and social development again."

While some congressmen and senators lauded the speech for its integrity and altruistic message, grumblings from a large contingent of those present revealed that the honeymoon for the leader elected on Jan. 1 is officially over.

Some analysts are beginning to forecast the various pitfalls Lula is sure to encounter due to the involvement of the CDES in government decisions.

While the group's stamp of approval on reform proposals may help create consensus among voters, it "might create some tension" with Congress, where Lula's leftist Workers' Party does not hold a majority and depends on support from the left and right, said Christopher Garman, Tendencias Consulting Group analyst.

"The government will play it up as 'we are consulting society,' though Congress could end up regarding it as an unnecessary mechanism that could subvert its authority."

Too late it seems.

Immediately after the first meeting of the CDES, Jose Carlos Aleluia, a leader in Brazil's lower house and member of the right-leaning Liberal Front Party (PFL), said he didn't recognize "the party as a deliberative organ" and "guaranteed that Congress won't accept reform proposals" put forward by Lula's private citizen advisers.

Aleluia's prediction doesn't bode well for Lula, who was counting on some support from the PFL to make his reforms a reality.

As one of Brazil's leading political parties in terms of size and influence, PFL's opinions are a barometer for what many other officials are likely thinking, namely that a bunch of no-talent-for-politics nitwits are going to be undermining their authority.

In one fell swoop the Brazilian president managed to alienate a large portion of Brazilian officials with his ill-conceived effort to include more people in the decision-making process.

Instead of adding more chiefs to his tribe, Lula needs to do the job he was elected to do and not share the responsibility with those that were not.