Collor tells Tucsonans he plans to run again

"As soon as the opportunity appears, I will present myself once more as candidate for the presidency of my country," said Fernando Collor de Mello, the former president of Brazil.

"The people who work, the people of lower class, who suffered a lot during all those periods of military rule, they are still there. They still have confidence in me."

Collor, 47, was invited by the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade, to share his views on international economic treaties like the Southern Cone Economic Market (MERCOSUR) and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

"The economic integration is a guarantee to peace," Collor said.

Collor was one of the architects of MERCOSUR, which now encompasses Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile.

He told an audience of 30 lawyers, bankers and UA professors at the Westin La Paloma Resort, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive, that Brazil has the potential of a "waking giant."

"Brazil and the United States are the two largest democracies in the Americas," Collor said.

He criticized the current government of Brazil for halting his privatization initiative and open market policies.

Collor was elected president in 1990.

At 40, Collor was Brazil's youngest president, and the first democratically-elected president after 25 years of military rule.

He resigned in 1992 in response to allegations of corruption. Protesters with painted faces and black clothing filled the streets urging his impeachment.

Although his political license has been revoked until the year 2000, the Supreme Court of Brazil cleared him of extortion charges.

Recent allegations of tax evasion and money laundering to the United States are currently under investigation.

Collor now lives in Miami.

"It (the impeachment) was a major plot against him by the elites of Brazil," said Rony Curvello, Collor's assistant.

Collor said his reforms "broke the old patterns" and bothered a lot of people.

By signing MERCOSUR, Collor agreed to a zero-tax trade with other Latin American countries.

"I had to lead Brazil into the 20th century," he said.

"I built the base for a better future in Brazil."

During his speech, he referred to the current government of Brazil, of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, as "orthodox."

"(His) policies are not strong policies to be maintained for a long period of time," Collor said.

The audience applauded Collor for sharing his version of the impeachment and for announcing his plans to run again in 2002.

Gerardo Olea, business affairs manager for Weyehaeuser Paper Co., said Collor has a very good tactic at recovering his image.

Olea said he thinks Collor may have good chances of being re-elected.