Dilma Rousseff, the former and legitimate President of Brazil, met today with GUE/NGL MEPs in Strasbourg for an exchange of views on the current situation in her country.

Rousseff explained how the illegitimate government of Michel Temer has brought a return to neoliberal attacks on living standards, and spoke about the undermining of democracy by right-wing forces:

“There are three clear phases to the coup in Brazil: phase one was my impeachment, then came the package of regressive government measures for which there is and was no political mandate, the third phase is the ongoing intensive effort to prevent progressive forces from winning the elections in 2018. The challenge for next year is to resume the path of democracy in Brazil.”

Rising inequality and attack on rights in Brazil and throughout the world also came up in the discussion: “The increasing financialisation of the economy is undermining democracy and living standards for working class people in my country and in many other parts of the world. This severely damages democracy itself, undermining the system and contributing to the emergence and ascent of the extreme right.”

On the political context in Latin America, she highlighted progressive efforts to build respectful partnerships and cooperation between countries throughout the continent, which are now being rolled back by the current administration. Rousseff also criticized the recent imposition of sanctions on Venezuela by the EU: “Economic sanctions never work, they simply punish people, making their daily lives harder.”

GUE/NGL MEPs offered solidarity to Dilma Rousseff and her allies in their work to restore democracy and their fight for the economic and social rights of Brazilian people.