Brazil’s New Regime Installed, but President Stays in Hospital

BRASILIA, Brazil —  This country’s new civilian government was installed Friday without its leader, President-elect Tancredo Neves, who was in a hospital bed recovering from abdominal surgery.

His running mate, Jose Sarney, took the oath as vice president and will serve as president until Neves can assume his duties. Sarney took over from outgoing President Joao Baptista Figueiredo and installed a Cabinet of 26 ministers chosen by Neves.

Neves’ absence put a damper on the inaugural ceremonies. Thousands of people had come to this inland capital for what was called a “celebration of democracy.” Some went to the hospital to leave messages wishing him a quick recovery.

Foreign representatives, including Vice President George Bush and Presidents Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, Raul Alfonsin of Argentina and Julio Sanguinetti of Uruguay, paid formal respects to Sarney but were unable to meet with the president-elect.

Emergency Surgery

Neves, 75, underwent emergency surgery early Friday for relief of diverticulitis, an inflammation of the lower intestine. It had been causing him pain since Tuesday. He had planned to postpone the operation until after Friday’s inaugural, according to family members, but the pain became so severe Thursday night that he decided on immediate surgery.

His health crisis is considered a serious setback at the start of the new administration. Neves had been expected to make an important inaugural address to Congress, and this had been eagerly awaited as a blueprint of the new government’s plans.

Neves, elected by an opposition front in the Electoral College on Jan. 15, is the first civilian president elected in Brazil in the past 21 years. Five army generals in succession have occupied the presidency.

Brazil is being buffeted by inflation that raised prices 225% last year. It has a foreign debt of $100 billion and has deep social problems that include widespread unemployment, reduced wages for workers and hunger in millions of poor households.

Makes Improvised Speech

After installing the new Cabinet, Sarney made a short, improvised speech in which he referred to Neves as “our commander.” He said he was serving as president only because of the constitutional need to install a successor to Figueiredo, who finished his six-year term with the lowest ratings in the public opinion polls since he took office in 1979.

Medical bulletins issued at the Civil Servant Hospital, where Neves was visited by his wife, Risoleta, and other family members, said he was recovering well from the surgery. Physicians attending him would not say how long it would be before he can take office, but he is not expected to leave the hospital for a week.

Sarney, 54, a former senator from the state of Maranhao, is an experienced national politician. He is one of the leaders of the new Liberal Party, which joined Neves’ Brazilian Democratic Movement in the opposition front that elected Neves.

Sarney called a Cabinet meeting for Sunday morning. After that meeting, some of the key ministers are expected to submit proposals to Congress on urgent issues, including a reduction of budget deficits.