Brazil Feels the Pain

The death of a popular political leader is always painful to a nation and its people. But the passing of Brazil’s President-elect Tancredo Neves is especially poignant because his countrymen had put so much hope in his recent selection as their first civilian president in 20 years.

The 75-year-old Neves earned a reputation as an honest and principled politician. It was characteristic of him that, after being elected president by Brazil’s Congress, Neves said that he would not serve his entire six-year term. Instead, he announced that he would step down within four years so that direct elections could be held to choose his successor.

But Neves was never able to take office. In a stroke of terrible irony, he was taken ill the night before his March 15 inauguration. Rather than take his oath of office the next day, he was forced to submit to the first of a series of painful operations. Although it appeared for a time that Neves might recover, his condition only worsened over the next few weeks as Brazilian doctors tried ever-more-desperate measures to save his life. His death ended a long vigil that left an entire nation emotionally drained.

Now Brazil’s political leaders must begin the process of carrying on without Neves. If they do not act with maturity, the next few weeks could be more traumatic for Brazil than the last month was.

In accordance with Brazil’s constitution, Vice President-elect Jose Sarney was sworn into office March 15 as interim president, and is now entitled to serve out Neves’ full term. But Sarney does not command the popular support that Neves did. His selection as vice president was the result of a delicate political deal worked out between Neves supporters in the Democratic Movement Party and a breakaway faction of the military-backed Social Democrat Party, of which Sarney had been a member. Many Neves supporters are now appalled at the prospect of a six-year Sarney presidency, and are demanding new elections as soon as possible. But it is doubtful that the Brazilian military will allow another round of voting.

Thus it becomes the responsibility of Brazil’s political leadership to try to work out a new arrangement that will keep the government functioning under Sarney, but also allow for the eventual election of a new president supported by a majority of Brazil’s people.

This will not be an easy process, of course, but it is necessary if the new civilian government is to begin working out the financial mess--including a foreign debt of more than $100 billion--left behind by Brazil’s generals. But if Brazil’s politicians can pull it off, it will be the greatest tribute that they can pay to the memory of Neves--a signal to the entire world that while democratic political leaders may pass from the scene, democracy itself remains a strong, viable form of government.