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 When former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's memoirs, A Arte da Política, were published earlier this year I purchased a copy with the intention of writing the first review in English. This idea was quickly discarded after the first 100 pages. Cardoso is a former sociology professor and conveys his ideas in the turgid style only an academic would inflict on the reader.
Not only does he seem incapable of writing a paragraph without quoting the likes of Marx, Weber and Durkheim but also confirms his reputation for vanity by quoting from his own books. So, when I heard that Cardoso had written an open letter to members of his PSDB party on the current election campaign, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, the prospect of more Cardoso prose was not a pleasant one but, on the other, the ordeal would be shorter since the letter runs to only six pages compared with the book which has almost 700 pages. One politician said that by writing a letter rather than an e-mail Cardoso was showing his age. In fact, the "letter" is more of an old-fashioned essay in which Cardoso presents his thoughts on a variety of subjects and I doubt if most PSDB readers have read it in its entirety. Despite this, the style is much livelier than that found in the book as Cardoso casts off his academic robes and launches a fierce attack on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over the "bribes for votes" scandal known as the "mensalão". "Paying "mensalão" is a crime and should be treated as a crime," he writes. He said the scandal did not just corrupt individuals but also the institution of Congress. Despite this attack on Lula and his government, Cardoso is also critical of his own party's response. "We in the PSDB were not firm enough in denouncing this disaster at the right time. Nor will we be able to arouse the population now during the election campaign. However, we are morally obliged not to remain silent, to show the difference between us and the powers that be," he writes. He then goes on to point a finger at his own party: "It is a fact that we are also responsible for what we see today: more corruption, every day, less reaction, every day. We made a mistake at the beginning when we wanted to sweep the case of Senator Azeredo under the carpet." This is a reference to the former PSDB governor of Minas Gerais, Senator Eduardo Azeredo, who used money which had been raised illegally in his unsuccessful bid to be re-elected. Cardoso tries to distance this case from the "mensalão" but by raising it he shows that honesty is not the best policy as far as Brazilian politics is concerned. The letter went down very badly within the PSDB leadership, particularly in Minas Gerais. The PSDB presidential candidate, Geraldo Alckmin, said Cardoso had been "correct" to write the letter but made no further comment. Neither did the party chairman, Tasso Jereissati, nor José Serra who is contesting the governorship of São Paulo. The state governor of Minas Gerais, Aécio Neves, who is tipped as a presidential candidate in 2010, said the letter had "hindered rather than helped." He also said that the PSDB should be more decentralized - seen as a dig at the predominance of São Paulo politicians within the party. These comments strengthened the growing idea that Neves will eventually leave the PSDB and join the PMDB. If this happens then he will be able to have a clear run at the presidency in 2010 without having to face a challenge from Serra. Neves has always enjoyed a good relationship with Lula and, as Lula will not be able to stand again, would most likely have his backing in any future campaign. There are no signs yet of a follow-up letter of explanation or apology from Cardoso but, in any case, it is too late to save the PSDB's doomed election campaign. This letter arose from Cardoso's frustration that his party had thrown away a golden opportunity to win this year's election. It may now have even endangered its chances in 2010.
Note: The quotes in English are a free translation of the original letter which is available on the PSDB site at www.psdb.org.br. Cardoso's book A Arte da Política: a História que Vivi is published by Editora Civilização Brasileira. John Fitzpatrick is a Scottish writer and consultant with long experience of Brazil. He is based in São Paulo and runs his own company Celtic Comunicações. This article originally appeared on his site www.brazilpoliticalcomment.com.br. He can be contacted at
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© John Fitzpatrick 2006
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