However, a man of Lebanese origin
rising to presidency – even in faraway Brazil – was still a reason to
celebrate for the twitterati. Temer’s family comes from the northern
town of Btaaboura where his distant cousin Bassam Barbar is the mayor.
Temer has visited his parents’ home country twice, once in 1997 and the
second time in 2011 as vice-president.

More of his kind

Temer isn’t the only one of Lebanese origin to make a name for himself
in Brazilian politics. Families of Sao Paulo’s mayor Fernando Haddad and
former Sao Paulo Governor Paulo Maluf also emigrated from Lebanon to
Brazil.

“There are 10 million Lebanese
spread around the world, and around 4 million of them are in Brazil. The
ones who became politicians, entrepreneurs and artists and welcomed and
seen as winners,” Brazilian professor Roberto Khatlab, historian in
Kaslik Univerity, told BBC Brasil.

Temer
has himself been open about h is roots. “We, as Brazilians, must
further strengthen our ties with our Lebanese brothers,” said Temer in a post
he wrote in Portuguese for his own website back in the year 2014,
describing his second visit to Lebanon when he met with former president
Michel Sleiman.

Family ties

Temer is popular in his parents’ home town and even has a street named
after him in Btaaboura. Following his eventful rise to presidency, the
small town has now decided to build a small park in his honor.

“We don’t have anyone in Btaaboura who has achieved such a high
position. This park in honor of Michel Temer is still something small
for him, but for us it is something big,” mayor Barbar said adding that
the town will remain by Temer’s side until the end.

Barbar
also said that in 2011, Temer promised to visit the town again once he
was president. What seemed like a far-fetched dream has now become
reality, as he takes power amid the worst recession since the country
faces since the 1930s.

Social media

The people of Btaaboura aren’t the only Lebanese supporting the interim
president. Temer seems to be making waves in the country’s social
media.

Samy Gemayel, leader of the Kataeb
Party tweeted, “After two years of presidential vacancy in Lebanon, a
new Lebanese president… In #Brazil @MichelTemer #Rousseff”

Temer’s presidency was also mentioned
by hundreds of people all over social media mentioning the same thing:
Brazil has a Lebanese president, but Lebanon doesn’t. There were
elements of irony alongside pride and even frustration.

Following his previous visit to Lebanon,
Temer had talked about trying to enhance the prospects of greater
economic engagement between the two countries. “I returned [from
Lebanon] with the certainty that the ties that unite us will take us
into a future of extreme proximity and great opportunities,” he wrote in the post.

Two
years on, the country of his roots waits to see if Temer will honor his
word, and visit Lebanon as President of another country. Moreover, will
he inspire Lebanon to finally elect a new president?