Evangelical bench approaches Lula

Brasilia DF) – If in the last four years, evangelical deputies and senators acted mostly as a block in defense of the Jair Bolsonaro government and its conservative agendas, now the group is beginning to show that it should not remain so united. At least part of the so-called Bible Bench, one of the most influential in Congress, is already beginning to signal that, although it will remain firm in the so-called customs agenda, it will not systematically oppose the PT government. One of the first signs that the choir no longer sings so in tune was the group’s difficulty in defining the leadership of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front (FPE) for the 2023/2024 biennium.

The presidency of the front will alternate every six months between federal deputies Eli Borges (PL-TO), who remains a staunch supporter of Bolsonaro, and Silas Câmara (Republicanos-AM), who has been establishing channels of dialogue with the Lula government.

Successor of Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ), who presided over the front in the last two years, Eli Borges, who will lead the group in the first half of 2023, promised a “respectful” relationship with the PT government, although he makes it clear that he has great ideological affinity with Bolsonaro. On his social networks, he advertises the “Bolsonarist legacy in Tocantins” and appears side by side with the former president in posts “against abortion” and “in defense of the family”. To reach the command of the Front, he had the blessings of Valdemar Costa Neto, president of his party and sort of informal CEO of Centrão.

In turn, Silas Câmara, an important leader of the Assembly of God of the North and organizer of the March for Jesus in the Amazon, even met with members of the federal government, such as the Minister of National Integration, Waldez Góes, and the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, André de Paula. The Amazonian was raised as one of the leaders of the evangelical bench, despite resistance from part of the group – he was sued in the Supreme Court for the practice of cracking, confessed to the criminal action, paid a fine and managed to file the action.

The Evangelical Parliamentary Front was created in 2003, and since then it has been defining its leaders by consensus. This was the first time that there was a dispute over the command of the group. An election was even held at the beginning of the month, but ended up being annulled due to discrepancies between the number of votes and registered voters.

“Do we correct gays, correct everyone, and do this dirty trick in here?”, protested deputy Otoni de Paula (MDB-RJ), pastor of the Assembly of God in Madureira. The agreement for the alternation of power between Eli Borges and Silas Câmara was sealed on Wednesday, 8. Two names withdrew from the dispute — Otoni de Paula himself, who announced his support for Eli Borges, and Senator Carlos Viana (PSD-MG). Bolsonaristas faithful until the other day, the two, each in their own way, found a way to try to disassociate themselves from the former president. Otoni criticized Bolsonaro’s silence after the elections: “I took a stand against his sepulchral silence”. In turn, Viana, who ran for the government of Minas Gerais in October for the PL, said he was “betrayed” and “abandoned” by the captain, who supported Romeu Zema (Novo).

According to Otoni, the front will oppose the Lula government only in what is related to the customs agenda — “but I don’t believe that the president will make the mistake of sending this type of agenda, because Congress is conservative”.

As for other subjects, such as the economy or the environment, for example, he bets that the PT won’t have major difficulties with the evangelical base. “These issues are negotiated directly with the parties, and not with our caucus”, he says. Deputy Gilberto Nascimento (PSC-SP) also says he does not believe in systematic opposition by the Bench of the Bible to the Lula government. “Our people are not a people of war,” he says.

“Personally, I don’t think this is the time to be in opposition; we have to think about Brazil. The economy needs to balance.”

The evangelical bench played a leading role in the last government because Bolsonaro owed a debt to this portion of the electorate, which was fundamental for his election in 2018. Two ministries were handed over to pastors – the one for Women, Family and Human Rights was given to Damares Alves; and Education was given to Milton Ribeiro. At MEC, by the way, a corruption scheme resulted in the arrest of the then minister and two other pastors, Gilmar Silva dos Santos and Arilton Moura. The duo spoke on behalf of the portfolio and charged bribes, in cash or in gold bars, in exchange for the release of federal funds for schools and kindergartens, especially in municipalities commanded by mayors of Centrão parties.

Traditionally, evangelicals, especially from Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal denominations, belong to the group that offers the greatest resistance to progressive agendas, associated with leftist parties such as Lula’s PT — and it was no different in 2022. But the approximation of a significant part of the bench with the government shows that pragmatism speaks louder: to remain in their positions of power, evangelical parliamentarians need to bring benefits and resources to their electoral strongholds.

*With information from Istoé

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