POLITICS IN BRAZIL

POLITICS IN BRAZIL

The Brazilian Constitution, created in 1988, supports a democratic government with universal suffrage by direct and secret ballot. Voting is compulsory for literate persons between 18 and 69 years of age and is optional for persons who are illiterate, over 70 years of age, or 16 and 17 years of age. There are 3 branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial.

Executive Branch

The president is elected via ballot votes and he or she will hold executive power.

Legislative Branch

The National Congress holds legislative power and is made up of:

- The Federal Senate (81 members, elected by a system of proportional representation, in position for a term of four years)

- Chamber of Deputies (513 members, elected by a direct ballot for a term of eight years. These ones have districts assigned by proportion to the population)

Each state in Brazil is assigned a governor and an elected legislature.

Judicial Branch

The Supreme Federal Tribunal exercises the ultimate judicial power. Each of its judges is elected by the tribunal members and their term is life-long. The judicial system is responsible for contesting and supporting any decisions made by the government that will affect the rights of Brazil’s individual residents. This gives the judicial system a huge amount of power within the legal system of Brazil.

It is responsible for compliance to laws regarding the economy, which are determined by the constitution. Any government decision affecting the rights of the individual is contested and supported by an independent judicial system.

Brazil went through decades of military dictatorship. The military overthrew the left-wing regime of President João Goulart in 1964 and ruled Brazil until 1985. The Brazilian military exerted complete control over the economy, politics, and popular media. All mass communication, art, and popular opinion were censored by military intelligence. Many leftist politicians were arrested and exiled to other countries during these dark years. However, in 1985, popular pressures and a recession led to peaceful democratic elections and indirect elections for the presidency. The legislative election of 1985 resulted in the formation of the democratic regimes of the 1980s and 1990s, and the military lost its power and influence in the economy. Since then there have been military, navy, and aviation ministries in the Brazilian government, but their influence has not been felt in the most important economic and political decisions.

A coalition of the Party of Brazilian Social Democracy (PSDB), the Liberal Front Party (PFL), and the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB) has held power since Brazil became a democracy. This coalition is opposed by the coalition of the Worker's Party (PT) and other smaller parties. The Communist Party of Brazil (PC) represents extreme opposition to the government.Brazil had its first democratic presidential elections in 1989 after decades of military dictatorship.

The Brazilian real was then tied to the U.S. dollar and forced to maintain a constant exchange rate . Inflation stabilized, but the cuts in government expenditure generated a recession in the country.

Brazil's government plays a large role in the economy, controlling many sectors of the economy that are considered strategic, including power generation, oil extraction, mining of natural resources, water supply, and telecommunications.

Nearly 61 percent of government revenue comes from tax payments. Personal income tax rates are progressive, with a maximum rate of 25 percent. The income tax rate on corporations and other legal entities are also progressive, with a maximum of 30 percent. A value-added tax that ranges from 10 percent

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