Boulos criticizes Múcio’s speech and minimizes the minister’s link – 01/20/2023 – Politics

About to take office as a federal deputy, Guilherme Boulos (PSOL) arrives at Congress willing to reinforce the base of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), fight the legacy of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and embrace leftist flags that have made more than 1 million voters voted for him.

“It will be an extremely challenging government”, he says in an interview with Sheetreiterating his confidence in Lula’s ability to face obstacles such as the reluctance of Bolsonarism in society, coup threats and the government’s fragile support in the Legislative.

Proximity to the PT, however, does not prevent Boulos from criticizing Defense Minister José Múcio Monteiro’s statement that the camps against the election result were democratic manifestations and that his friends and relatives were involved in the acts.

At the same time, it minimizes the links between the Minister of Tourism, Daniela Carneiro, and militiamen. The future parliamentarian claims there is no “robust evidence” of her association with criminals, contrary to what, according to him, happened with Bolsonaro and his surroundings. “They are very different cases.”

Pre-candidate for mayor of São Paulo in 2024, the leader of housing movements says he wants to advance in the understanding with the PT about the support commitment signed by Lula. The psolista calls Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB), his virtual opponent, a “condominium manager”.

DEPUTY’S MANDATE

Boulos presents himself as the most voted federal deputy in the history of the Brazilian left and says he has clear objectives: “My role in Congress is to help Lula rebuild Brazil and seek to place leftist and popular agendas on the political agenda of the Legislative.” One of them will be higher taxation on high incomes, which should enter the tax reform debate.

“And I will face the coup without respite. Those who believed that Bolsonarism would end with Bolsonaro’s defeat saw on the 8th that this will not be possible”, he continues.

Boulos has two bills in mind: one to encourage the so-called “solidarity kitchens”, an action already taken by the MTST (Movement of Homeless Workers) and which would be replicated as an emergency measure against hunger, and another creating a policy for the population street, with access to housing.

SCENARIO FOR SQUID

“I think it will be an extremely challenging government”, he summarizes, blaming “the size of the damage done by Bolsonarism” on public policies, something he saw in detail when he was part of the transition team, in the area of ​​cities.

“The challenge of the Lula government is to rebuild the country, and that is not easy. [Há] difficult circumstances: Bolsonarism still present in society, with a radicalized part in the coup, and a correlation of forces in the National Congress which, although it will have a majority in support of Lula, is not exactly a majority in relation to the program that was elected.”

The psolist argues that Lula should dialogue with the centrão, as long as agreements are reached on a basis different from those used by Bolsonaro. “What you cannot do is outsource the government, with a secret budget, and that Lula has already defined. Now, there will be a dispute. It is natural that in a government with such a wide composition there are divergent positions.”

POPULAR MOBILIZATION

A politician forged in social movements, Boulos sees popular support, “even more so in such an adverse moment”, as a fundamental ingredient for the government. “I have confidence in Lula’s capacity to face the obstacles, but this will also have to involve the mobilization of society”, he says.

For him, the construction of governance depends on this. “It’s no use thinking that only from the Praça dos Três Poderes will come all the solutions. And it’s the government’s role to call society to this participation.”

PACIFICATION X FORGETTING

“We need to say with all the letters: the 8th was an attempted coup d’état carried out by Bolsonarists”, says Boulos.

For him, the “exemplary punishment” of those responsible is a way of “not naturalizing and not allowing the opposition to be made in these violent and coup-like terms”. Therefore, “there cannot be any kind of amnesty for those who finance and promote the coup d’état”.

Without consequences, “it could happen again and this could become the opposition standard. This is not a question of revenge, but of defining demarcation lines. Pacification is one thing, forgetting is another.”

MUTIOUS FACTOR

Asked about the role of the Minister of Defense in preventing the acts of the 8th, Boulos says that “the government of the Federal District was the one most responsible for the leniency, with the Military Police practically escorting the coup leaders to destroy the palaces”.

“Now, I think Minister Múcio should choose his friends better. If he says he has a friend in a coup camp, that is not normal. Those camps were anything but democratic, because they defended a coup d’état”, he replies.

QUESTION DANIELA

When asked about links between the Minister of Tourism, affiliated with União Brasil, and militiamen in her electoral base, Belford Roxo (RJ), as revealed by the SheetBoulos repeats the speech given by members of the government and Lula’s allies.

“I do not know the details of the accusations, if there is any judicial process. I am in favor of the broad right of defense, but, if there is any proof of the minister’s connection with the militia, I will be one of those who will defend her departure [do cargo].”

He denies any contradiction between his stance in the Bolsonaro government, when he used the term militiaman to refer to the then president, and his current speech. “For me, the stick that hits Chico hits Francisco. [Mas] They are very different cases.”

He says that the previous ruler weighed “political connections, abundant evidence and robust evidence”, involving figures like Adriano da Nóbrega and Fabrício Queiroz.

Daniela’s political group maintains links with the family of an ex-PM sentenced to 26 years for murder and criminal association. She also received support from others accused of leading armed groups.

“It’s not up to me to defend her, I’m not her lawyer. If, in fact, there is a proven link between her and the militia, she has to leave the government and answer for it in court”, he adds, before changing the subject. “I’m not a counselor [de Lula] or political commentator on government decisions.”

APPLICATION FOR MAYOR IN 2024

“Those who voted for me for federal deputy not only knew [do projeto da candidatura] how do you expect me to do that, because I never hid it. Hypocrisy would be me pretending that I will not be a candidate. That, yes, would be dishonest with my constituents, “she says.

After reaching the second round of the São Paulo election in 2020, Boulos says he trusts Lula’s commitment that the PT will not put a name in the dispute and will support the ally. He says he will “extensively engage in dialogue” with the party to disarm resistance and “build the process in a joint and natural way”.

For Boulos, the circumstances this time will be “much more favorable” to him, with the positive result of the Lula government —which he hopes will be evidenced by the campaign. Additionally, he believes he has become better known and will “gain greater political experience” with the federal mandate.

NUNES AND ZERO RATE

“Ricardo Nunes manages São Paulo as if he were the manager of a condominium. He is not a political leader, he has no vision of the city, the city is aimless”, says Boulos, still speaking of “incompetence and lack of political will”.

The psolist says it is strange that the zero tariff in public transport, a flag of his and his party, is mentioned by Nunes and by the mayor, Milton Leite (União Brasil).

“I see it very strangely when figures linked to the historic transport mafia start to defend this in an opportunistic and casuistic way. This mafia is a collusion of companies that repeatedly win bids and that have no transparency.”

According to him, implementing gratuity without planning, in an electoral manner, could become “a shot in the foot” and end up demoralizing the initiative.

“Milton Leite gave an interview [à revista Veja São Paulo] saying that ‘either we implement zero tariff or Boulos wins the election’. So the reason is to prevent me from winning?”

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X-ray | William Boulos, 40

He holds a degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in psychiatry from USP. Coordinator of the MTST (Movement of Homeless Workers), he was a candidate for president in 2018 by the PSOL. He reached the second round of the São Paulo City Hall election and was defeated by the re-election candidate, Bruno Covas (PSDB). He was the most voted federal deputy in São Paulo in 2022, with just over 1 million votes.