Congress gets stronger as the Executive gets angrier

Earlier this month, retired Army General Augusto Heleno accused Congress of trying to hold the federal government to ransom. Caught on tape during an online broadcast, the head of the administration’s Institutional Security—and close advisor to President Jair Bolsonaro—said they “cannot accept these guys blackmailing us, fuck it!”

One week later, President Bolsonaro was caught sharing videos among his friends promoting demonstrations against Congress, which called on the people to defend the president and “take back their country.” Clearly, the relationship between the Executive and Legislative branches of Brazilian politics is poisonous—and this collision has been a long time coming.

Not just rubber-stamping

In recent years, the Legislative branch has increasingly been seen as responsible for conducting the political landscape in Brazil, managing to oust two presidents that displeased them, and pushing through reforms to overhaul the country’s labor and pensions systems. Now, the position of House Speaker is seen as one of the most powerful seats in Brazil, and it’s incumbent, Rodrigo Maia, wields a great deal of influence in the capital due to his ability to form majorities regardless of ideology.

But this scenario is hardly a recent development. The protagonism of Congress has been strengthening gradually over the last 20...