Government releases funds, and bingo-related bill is approved.

After much negotiation and the announcement of the release of funds demanded since the beginning of the year by congressmen, the government managed yesterday to approve the provisional measure that prohibits the operation of bingo halls and slot machines in the country. The measure was approved in the Chamber of Deputies at 23:15 pm by 295 votes to 73, with three abstentions.
The Planalto Palace spent all of yesterday trying to quell yet another rebellion among its allies. During the afternoon, government supporters even admitted that the provisional measure was at risk of being rejected.
The government told allies that it will issue a decree today or tomorrow committing (assuming the commitment to spend) part of the R$ 1,5 billion in parliamentary amendments from 2004 – generally, funds allocated for projects in the electoral districts of congressmen. Folha has learned that it will be around R$ 300 million.
In a meeting early in the morning with leaders of the governing parties, Minister Aldo Rebelo (Political Coordination) demanded loyalty, but heard from allies about the difficulty of convincing the base and requests for the Provisional Measure to be amended to at least provide for future regulation of bingo halls.
The provisional measure was issued last month as a government response to the Waldomiro Diniz case, a former advisor to the Presidential Palace who was recorded in 2002 asking for bribes and campaign donations from a gambling businessman. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva even said that if he accepted the regulation to maintain jobs, he might be urged to legalize child prostitution as well.
"We cannot have a dubious position on this issue. We have to support President Lula and show unity within the allied base," stated Congressman Renato Casagrande (ES), leader of the PSB caucus. "The order is to vote rigorously, without backing down or compromise," reinforced Congressman Vicente Cascione (PTB-SP), one of the government's deputy leaders.
The fact is that the commitment decree and appeals for loyalty were not enough to convince the rebels at first. The PP – the third largest governing party – announced in the afternoon that it would vote overwhelmingly against the provisional measure. In the evening, it reversed course and admitted it would vote with the government.
Part of the PMDB (the second largest government bloc) and the PL (the fifth largest) also threatened to vote against it. These three parties are the same ones that, along with the PTB, sponsored a rebellion last week against the government demanding the release of parliamentary amendments. Since the PTB has the rapporteur for the provisional measure, Deputy Roberto Magalhães (PE), it instructed its members to vote in favor of the measure, but there were also opposing sectors.
Throughout the day, employees and owners of bingo halls were at Congress lobbying against the provisional measure.
Folha has learned that the government had given up on continuing to pressure its allies to guarantee approval, as happened during the tax and pension reforms last year. The narrative, in the event of a possible rejection of the provisional measure, would be that the government remained firm in its position – it was Congress that rejected the measure.
"The president maintained his stance on morality; if Congress doesn't approve it, the responsibility lies with Congress," stated Representative Arlindo Chinaglia (SP), leader of the PT in the House. "The government accepts the burden of rejection, but refuses to negotiate or back down on the ban," reinforced Cascione.
Folha de SP – RANIER BRAGON – RAYMUNDO COSTA – FROM THE BRASILIA BRANCH