Panel SA: Talking about democracy in text to presidential candidates was not a consensus at Fiesp

In the list of guidelines that Fiesp prepared to send to the presidential candidates, the entity mentioned democratic stability and respect for the rule of law as “indispensable conditions for Brazil to overcome its main challenges”. The position, however, was not a consensus within Fiesp.

The document was ready this week when Bolsonaro made new statements against the electoral system at the event with ambassadors. And the timing was interpreted as a politicization of the material, in the opinion of some members of the Fiesp base who say they were left out of the decision.

The assessment of this group is that the text, which is also signed by Ciesp, is well done from a technical point of view, but they say that, in the industry, not everyone believes that it was necessary to go into this point, running the risk of upsetting the entity with Bolsonaro at this time.

In one top executive’s opinion, it’s best to stick with pragmatism for now. Another industrial leader says that there is no consensus in the sector that democracy is threatened, despite Bolsonaro’s statements, which he refers to as nonsense.

Sought by the SA Panel, Fiesp said that the president of the entity, Josué Gomes da Silva, when he learned of the contrary manifestations, was frightened by the possibility of someone being against the request for democracy and the rule of law.

Joana Cunha with Paulo Ricardo Martins and Gilmara Santos