Insider

Michel Temer: “Right, left, or centrist, a ruler needs results”

michel-temer
Former Brazilian President Michel Temer, in 2016. Photo: Marcos Corrêa/PR

Former Brazilian President Michel Temer stood alongside Mauricio Macri during an event this Friday in São Paulo, organized by liberal-conservative figures. After the speech of his former Argentinian counterpart, Mr. Temer talked about his years in Brasília and the challenges facing the Brazilian economy after this year’s election. 

According to him, Brazil is overly focused on ideological narratives and populist agendas, with practical economic results left to one. “In Latin America, it is very common that the center, left, or right-wing is all merely electoral speech. Regardless of labels, a ruler needs results,” he said. 

Michel Temer also mentioned Brazil’s relationship with China to support a more pragmatic political agenda: “China adopted a Chinese Socialism model that boosted their economy. See where they are now. Some people called it capitalism at that time, but China protected its national industry, generated jobs and the economy later skyrocketed.” 

Mr. Temer also mentioned that both China and the U.S are Brazil’s most important economic partners, which, in his words, explains why “it is necessary to universalize one’s way of governing.”