Panel SA: Fiesp’s demonstration on democracy creates tension again

The president of Fiesp, Josué Gomes, was startled to learn that there were opinions against the industry federation’s initiative to exalt democracy in the text of guidelines for presidential candidates released this week. But the recent history of Fiesp shows that the noise around the subject is nothing new, as happened with the manifesto that split Febraban in August of last year.

At the time, the president of Fiesp was Paulo Skaf, an ally of Bolsonaro, who articulated the writing of a document to show concern about the escalation in the institutional tension of the occasion. It was a diffuse message, which did not point the finger at a specific Power, but at all simultaneously. The idea was to attract the signature of 200 sectoral entities and unions.

Caixa and Banco do Brasil, however, threatened to leave Febraban if the federation of banks adhered to the text. Pedro Guimarães, who is now out of Caixa because of allegations of sexual harassment, was one of the main organizers of the arrival.

In this week’s noise, Fiesp, currently in charge of Josué, included in the document of the sector’s proposals for the next government the message that “democratic stability and respect for the rule of law are indispensable conditions for Brazil to overcome its main challenges “.

The gesture was poorly received among some members of the rank and file concerned not to anger Bolsonaro.

Joana Cunha with Paulo Ricardo Martins and Gilmara Santos