Aldo Rebelo
PEOPLE PROFILE is published every Tuesday and describes the professional background of key people emerging in the political and economic scenario.
Who is Aldo Rebelo?
Aldo Rebelo is the leader of the government in the lower chamber of congress. He is also the leader of the Communist party, the Partido Comunista do Brasil (PC do B), and has been re-elected to congress for four consecutive terms. Rebelo has just been chosen by President Lula to share responsibilities with his right-hand man, José Dirceu, in the newly created ministry for political coordination and federal relations. The ministry will coordinate the government's policies with congress, the judiciary, and the states and municipalities.
Why watch him?
Aldo Rebelo has successfully coordinated the government's agenda in congress. His work has been especially helpful in the difficult negotiations to reform the pensions system. His leadership guaranteed the approval, last September, of government's proposals fundamental to its economic policy.
Rebelo has also been engaged in several investigative commissions since he first entered the chamber in 1990. His career actually took off when, in 1992, he unmasked the 'Uruguay Affair', triggering a wave of corruption allegations which culminated in the impeachment of President Collor de Mello. At the time, Collor de Mello used a false name in order to get a US$5m loan to refurbish his private villa on the shores of Paranoa Lake in Brasília.
The file
Born: February 1956.
Place of birth: The town of Viçosa in the northeastern state of Alagoas.
Education: Rebelo studied Law between 1975 and 1978, however he did not complete the degree.
Public life:
Rebelo, who is married and has one son, joined the PC do B in 1976. At the time, the party was considered illegal and was sheltered under the umbrella Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro (PMDB), which comprised all the opposition parties in congress. In the same year, Rebelo was elected president of the Brazilian Student's Union (UNE), organising protest rallies against the military dictatorship.
He worked as a journalist before taking up his first office as a councillor for the city of São Paulo in 1988. While in the municipal chamber he presided over the special commission that investigated irregularities in Mayor Janio Quadros's administration. Rebelo also participated in an investigation that led to the discovery of the bodies of missing people in the Perus cemetery. Some of the bodies were later identified as militants who went missing during the military dictatorship.
Rebelo was first elected to congress in 1990 for the state of São Paulo. Since then he has been re-elected three more times, the last one, in 2002, for the Amazonian state of Roraima. He participates in the international trade and agriculture commissions in congress, as well as being the president of the labour and pension commission in the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).
He is a firm advocate of abolishing parliamentary immunity for members of congress. As well as his role in the impeachment of Collor de Mello, Rebelo presided over the special commission that investigated the 'CBF/Nike Affair' after the World Cup in 1998. At the time, several irregularities were found in the accounts of football clubs.
Rebelo, however, has a tendency to slip into populist-nationalist rhetoric, reminiscent perhaps of his fight against the military and his upbringing in the 1970s. He is the author of a law issued in 1999 to protect Brazilian-Portuguese from the assault of foreign languages. His recent 'Bio-security' project - defending the production and research of GM crops - condemns 'foreign interests threatening Brazil'.
Strong points:
Rebelo has a history of fighting corruption and privilege in political life in Brazil. He is trusted by both President Lula da Silva and by José Dirceu. His nomination was well received by coalition leaders and by the press and general public. During Rebelo's years in congress he forged some strong relationships with several powerful congressmen. He is also good at mending fences with old enemies. He received plaudits from the air force for defending the government's plans to purchase sixty jets.
Weak points:
Rebelo's numerous investigations brought him bitter opposition, mainly from the corrupt old-guard. His appointment is not popular with rightwing sectors of Brazilian society, which until now have kept quiet over President Lula's policies. His communist beliefs, coupled with his diatribes against 'foreign interests', are not likely to go down too well in Washington either, especially at a time when Brazil's relations with the US are growing increasingly fractious.
Prospects:
Rebelo is suitable for the job. He has proven articulate and ready to negotiate in order to get the government's proposals approved in congress. His outspoken views will probably get him into trouble from time to time. However, that is exactly what President Lula is expecting from his new minister. He needs someone with willpower and appeal, not only to do the job, but also to appease his leftwing supporters.