Suplicy returns to the SP Assembly with a basic income agenda – 03/12/2023 – Power

Of the few certain truths in life, one is that veteran politician Eduardo Suplicy will take any chance to talk about a universal minimum income. The theme has been on his mind for three decades and, it is obvious, it will be an obsession in the term of state deputy that he is about to begin in São Paulo.

But another factor is repeated, in addition to the defense of his citizen’s basic income project — payment by the government of an amount to all Brazilians in the name of doing social justice. Arriving at the Legislative Assembly is, in fact, a return: it was there that he held his first elected position, in 1979, for the MDB.

One of the founders of the PT, Suplicy became a folkloric figure of national power in his 81 years of life, 24 of which he spent in the Senate. He left the House in 2015, with the disappointment never overcome of not being re-elected for the fourth consecutive time, and started to be chosen by the party for other missions.

It was in one of them that he ran for state deputy in 2022 and fulfilled what was expected of him: expressive voting — 807,000 votes, a record among the 94 elected. With that, he helped pull other names from the PT bench, which jumped from 10 elected in 2018 to 18.

To assume the new chair, Suplicy resigns as city councilor of the capital of São Paulo, another task he accepted out of loyalty to the party.

He entered the City Council after a resounding 301 thousand votes in 2016 (the highest level since 1988) and renewed his permanence in 2020, with 167 thousand. Even with a drop of 44% between one election and another, he was the voting record holder not only in the city, but in the country, in both years.

Popularity was not enough, however, to return to the Senate, which he tried in 2018, receiving more than 4.6 million votes and finishing third in the race for two seats.

From the Chamber, where he occasionally gets confused and calls a fellow councilwoman a senator, he will lead the cabinet team. They are advisors who take care of both technical support in discussions about human rights and the homeless —two of his favorite topics, always linked by him to the need for a basic income— as well as details such as, occasionally, cleaning his glasses.

It will also carry what it defines as a “civilized debate” with the opposition, which in the Assembly is the base of Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans). Suplicy says that after the election he called the governor, supported by former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), and proposed dialogue, “even with differences”.

In recent meetings with colleagues to fine-tune the bench’s performance, the future state deputy reinforced the chorus against Sabesp’s privatization proposal, one of the first sources of friction with Palácio dos Bandeirantes. He also wants to be part of the Human Rights Commission and is on the alert for cases of police violence, a problem he has historically monitored.

Companions old and new adopt a posture of reverence.

“Suplicy is a PT asset”, says Paulo Fiorilo, re-elected state congressman. “His presence, with his ability to mobilize public opinion, will increase the role of the Assembly”, comments Kiko Celeguim, president of the party in the state and federal deputy.

The man from the white elite who, since his youth, has made a speech aimed at the excluded, has helped the PT break down resistance from the electorate over the years, combining prestige and reputation. His rival in the election for mayor of the capital in 1992, Paulo Maluf, used a campaign jingle that is still remembered today: “We have nothing against Suplicy, we just don’t want the PT to rule here anymore.”

It’s not that Suplicy’s relationship with the PT and its internal currents always reflects a leisurely and courteous style. The anecdotal and performative cases are many —the red underwear over the pants in the corridors of the Senate, the divorce from Marta Suplicy, the singing of “Blowin’ in the Wind”, by Bob Dylan, and songs by Racionais MC’s. But there are also raids.

One of the most recent was in the campaign of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) for president in 2022. The councilor created public embarrassment when he approached the table at an event to, excitedly, charge Aloizio Mercadante, coordinator of the government plan, for his absence of basic income among the pledges.

A series of misunderstandings having been resolved, Suplicy considers that his apologies closed the case and that no grievances remained. The episode did not surprise those who live with him in the party and know his persistence in defending positions, especially if it involves his greater cause.

And he uses every opportunity to try to convince any interlocutor of the viability of his project, which was transformed into law by Congress and sanctioned by Lula in 2004, but since then has not been regulated — and, therefore, not adopted on a federal scale.

With Lula back on the Planalto, the future deputy dreams of finally seeing his “profession of faith” materialize, as the current president described the co-religionist’s utopia in a public conversation between the two in 2021. The transcript of the meeting was conveniently added to the eighth edition from his book “Renda de Cidadania – The Exit Is Through the Door”.

A story spread around Suplicy in recent weeks demonstrates his anticipation. Invited to accompany the festivities of Iemanjá Day in Salvador, he suggested that the participants say prayers so that Lula can get the idea off the ground. “The time is coming. Iemanjá will help”, he cheers.

In addition to spiritual appeals, he has been calling on the Minister of Social Development, Wellington Dias.

The arguments of the author of the project range from mentions of speeches by Pope Francis and Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen to the detailed description of how basic income has had satisfactory experiences in places like Alaska, Macau, Namibia and Finland, many of which he visited.

One fact that he likes to mention is that 57% of São Paulo residents are in favor of the measure, according to a survey by Rede Nossa São Paulo in 2019.

Suplicy says he believes that extending programs like the one already carried out in the city of Maricá (RJ) would give dignity to citizens such as homeless people who go to his office in the Chamber in search of help, because they have a reference in him. Some are at the entrance of the building waiting for you.

The gentleman who walks slowly through the central region of São Paulo for a photo session at the request of Sheet he is approached at every corner for selfies and hugs by passers-by and people who live on the sidewalks.

With the help of a hearing aid attached to his ear, Suplicy listens to complaints about poverty, thanks for votes, returns a heart gesture with his hands to a girl who waves to him from afar, kisses and is kissed. In wanderings he is also called Eduardo, “su” Suplicy and Suplão.

He will be the oldest state representative in the legislature. To anyone who asks him about the age weight, he replies that he does physical exercises every day in the morning and takes great care of himself.

“I’m agreeing with God to be healthy and see the basic income of citizenship achieved in Brazil”, he says when returning to his office, surrounded by his team. “And dreams don’t grow old”, adds someone, remembering the Clube da Esquina song. Suplicy looks excited and smiles. “I’m going to listen to that song today.”

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X-RAY | Eduardo Matarazzo Suplicy, 81

Born in São Paulo, he is the great-grandson of the Italian-Brazilian Count Francesco Matarazzo. He studied business administration at FGV-SP and has a doctorate in economics from the State University of Michigan (USA). He debuted in public life as a state deputy for the MDB (1979-1983) and was one of the founders of the PT, a party for which he was federal deputy (1983-1987), councilor (1989-1991) and senator (1991-2015). Again councilor since 2017, he was elected state deputy and will have a mandate from 2023 to 2027. He is the author, among others, of the books “Um Jeito de Fazer Politics”, with Mônica Dallari, and “Renda de Cidadania – A Saida É pela Porta”

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Suplicy story chapters

first election In 1978, with 78,000 votes, he became a state deputy in São Paulo for the MDB and became involved in the founding of the PT

PT Foundation The first elected position he held in the PT was that of federal deputy, between 1983 and 1987. He has remained in the party since its creation, in 1980

campaigns in the state Suplicy ran for Mayor of São Paulo in 1985, an election won by Jânio Quadros, and in 1992, with Paulo Maluf winning. He also ran for state government in 1986, with Orestes Quercia elected.

senator stage He takes the seat in the Senate in 1991 and is re-elected for two more consecutive terms, leaving the House in 2015

defeats He lost his re-election bid for senator in 2014, when the only vacancy in the state went to José Serra. In 2018, contrary to calls to run for federal deputy, he tried again for the Senate and, even with favorable polls throughout the campaign, he was surpassed by Major Olímpio and Mara Gabrilli

In the Executive Became municipal secretary of Human Rights of the capital of São Paulo between 2015 and 2016, in the management of party colleague Fernando Haddad

records He gets the biggest vote in Brazil in the elections for councilor of the capital in 2016 and 2020, but performance drops from 301 thousand votes in the first candidacy to 167 thousand in the second. In 2022, he is the most voted state deputy in São Paulo and in the country, with 807 thousand votes