Election, always the election

During the dictatorship, we did, the legitimate and just outcry of society was for free and direct elections at all levels of government. Democracy had to be achieved and, from that point on, the belief was that our problems would be faced and we would have elected officials concerned with presenting consistent proposals for resuming development and reducing brutal social inequalities.

This mission, we knew, was not going to be easy. We left bipartisanship (situation and opposition) and the party spectrum was broadened, in the expectation of having parties structured around government programs that would be defended in the elections.

This Cartesian view proved, in fact, to be a chimera.

Government programs, in most cases, are mere rhetorical pieces, full of buzzwords without any care with the definition of budgetary resources, as if these were not finite. Political parties have multiplied, behind the public resources of party funds, which increase, approved in legislative process always fast.

The entire government has to build its support base, and the parties are forming blocs, some always firm in the purpose of being faithful to power, no matter who takes on the executive. Positions must be allocated, and technical competence and ethics are not considered.

Thus, campaign promises are forgotten on the day after the election, and the distance between representatives and those represented only increases, affecting the credibility of the democratic process. Whoever promised to change “everything that is there” starts, without any modesty, to act in the same way that he criticized so much. Invertebrate politics dominates the scene.

The impact of this anachronistic situation is profound. With the end of the electoral process, it started to be discussed how to position yourself for the next one, demonstrating that the means became the end.

The political world seems to revolve around its own interests, the approval of urgent reforms is being pushed, for fear of affecting the electoral buyout. Administrative reform can only take effect in the next decade. The tributary, in view of the complexity and the difficulty of finding a minimum consensus, is being mitigated, and politics, of great importance to restructure the political parties and revitalize the protagonism in power, is solemnly forgotten.

Within the scope of the duty to be, after the election, the government assumes its responsibilities, the burden and the bonus of the necessary decisions, and should not aim only at maintaining power, which no longer makes sense when prioritizing the next ballot and not the execution of actions needed.

And so we move towards the backward, missing out on opportunities and, with the tragic pandemic, the population, especially of low income, sinks in despair.

It is true that the politician is sensitive to the moods of his constituency and has a keen sense of survival, but the dramatic moment we are experiencing requires that the restricted circle of his followers be overcome. The statesman's stance should be encouraged, going beyond the next election. Is it too much to expect?

The importance of politics is undeniable. Everyone depends on their exercise, which must be effective and in tune with the search for solutions for the country, optimizing public resources and defining priorities aimed at stimulating social and economic development.

This parallel universe that seems to live in the political world, and that discourages anyone who appreciates the national scenario with more criteria, cannot persist.

We mourn hundreds of thousands of deaths and, with the collapse of the health structure across the country, we are missing out on what portrayed the great musical of the 70s “Brasileiro Profissão Esperança”.

It is high time that we have politicians showing indignation and dedicating themselves to carrying out an effective salvation program. The pandemic will pass and, learning from the tragedy, we must move forward with the necessary reforms, even if they do not please everyone (which is impossible).

We will let the election assess, in due course, who has actually dedicated himself to facing the enormous problems we have. Utopia? Perhaps, but the truth is that we can no longer bear so much disrespect for everyone's suffering.

Without delaying the necessary measures, what is expected from elected officials is that they govern!

I end with the poet who in the 80s asked in a classic of Brazilian music “What country is this?”. The answer, of course, is not the Brazil we deserve ”.

VACCINE, ECONOMY AND ETHICS

At the beginning of the pandemic, no one had any idea of ​​the extent that this contamination by COVID would have.

However, the situation has taken a frightening turn, with the geometric growth of patients and deaths, severely affecting health and the world economy. The difficult and necessary measures indicated by science were adopted, determining isolation, the use of a mask and constant hand hygiene as the only actions capable of mitigating risks.

Everyone's health, as it should be, was the priority and government officials from around the world, with specific negative exceptions, took on unprecedented lockdown positions with a strong impact on the economy, affecting production, trade, services and causing job losses.

In Brazilian lands, the first reactions were from the incentive to humanitarian actions, to criticism of the indicated containment measures, through criminal actions by some who took advantage: entrepreneurs who forged products, overpriced prices and politicians who took advantage to win with the misfortune .

These were the initial demonstrations that ethics was being confronted and that society needed to react to such inhumanity. Several politicians were denounced and a governor started his impeachment process.

The isolation measures in Brazil were, in comparison with other countries, more lenient, but they had a great impact on commerce, tourism, bars and restaurants, with the industry and essential services more preserved. However, the advance of contamination in waves, causing millions of infected people and deaths, demonstrated that only with a vaccine, in fact many, it would be possible to make the so-called herd immunity viable by fighting contamination and not by death, as some absurdly defended.

At this moment of urgency, we had the demonstration that the famous phrase “Brazil is not for amateurs” is not correct. Brazil, in terms of planning, especially in some public sectors, is made up of amateurs, who missed the opportunity to structure, in advance, the acquisition of vaccines in adequate volume and strengthen the action of the recognized SUS, with equipment, beds and, amazingly , oxygen.

In total contradiction, there are irresponsible movements that, at the same time that defend the economy above all, surprise, on the one hand, with attacks, without any basis, to vaccines with Chinese active ingredient, which, ironically, are the only ones that were negotiated by federal and São Paulo governments and, on the other hand, combat all isolation measures, even if not so profound.

A real tropical silliness, an unsustainable delusion: no isolation; not to masks; not to vaccines, but to the economy, that is, no seriousness, leaving a shameful verdict: die, but preserve the economy, after all, this is life.

It is evident that only mass vaccination makes it possible to resume the pace of the economy.

Fortunately, society, in an overwhelming way, understood that vaccine is the only way, however, the absurd theses and the tiredness of the isolation measures wreaked havoc and all warnings were ignored, promoting, in that year, the growth of contamination.

If it wasn't enough, once again, with the beginning of the vaccination, we have an affront to ethics, with powerful people skipping the line and we innovated with vaccination without vaccine, criminally deceiving the elderly.

The situation, before improving, is getting worse. The resumption of the economy at the necessary speed is linked to the vaccine, which must have accelerated its production and distribution, there is no other way.

In the midst of this insane picture Brazil is in front of the mirror, showing our astonished face. In a moment that demands an absolute need for cohesion and firm and responsible leadership, we allow ourselves to be led by beliefs, by conspiracy theories that affect judgment, wasting precious time and resources that we do not have in clumsy actions. Sad portrait.

It remains to be seen whether, in the midst of so much pain and loss, we will learn. I wish!

To access the article on the Exame website, click here

ETHICS as a tool to combat COVID-19

ETCO is a Civil Society Organization, which acts with the purpose of promoting integrity in the business environment. We believe in the practice of fair competition as one of the main foundations of economic development and the construction of a stronger and more just nation.

With the pandemic of COVID19, we live in an unprecedented moment in world history, with devastating effects on the global and Brazilian economy. The OECD estimates that each month of confinement will take 2 points of GDP from major economies and the World Trade Organization (WTO) predicts that global trade will decline by up to 32% this year.

In order to combat the harmful effects on the economy and on the public health system, we have witnessed an enormous effort by the executive (in all its spheres), the legislature, the judiciary and civil society, in order to alleviate the effects of the crisis mainly with vulnerable populations and groups at risk. And it is mainly at times like this, that the ethical behavior of companies and civil society can make all the difference.

ETCO advocates social isolation, as the most effective way to fight the epidemic, respecting the guidelines of health authorities and municipal and state governments. It is a moment that demands the full exercise of citizenship, respect for the laws and for others.

It is not the time to raise prices or make unnecessary stocks. This is no time for layoffs, which will result in immediate and unnecessary costs. It is necessary to seek dialogue, to negotiate fairly and loyally with suppliers, employees, employees and customers.

ETCO remains firm and supportive of all actions that strengthen the fight against COVID-19 and help preserve lives.

Support too. The way you can, how you can.

#STAY AT HOME