247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated during the launch ceremony of the New Mais Médicos on Friday (14) that the new version of the program "is here to stay definitively and become a standard of healthcare in this country." "The objective of Mais Médicos is to bring decent healthcare to the most remote corners of this country and to the largest neglected periphery, where citizens have the right to be properly attended to by healthcare professionals, be it nurses, nursing assistants, or doctors. And we know that it is not easy for people to accept going to work in the remote areas of this country," said Lula.
"After the implementation of Mais Médicos, people began to become politicized and aware. Many times, representative entities of the medical profession say, 'There is no need to train more doctors because there are already plenty.' It's true, there are many doctors, sometimes even in excess, on Avenida Paulista, in Copacabana, in Boa Viagem. But go to the periphery and see how many doctors are missing. In any periphery, even here in Brasília. It's not enough to have doctors; they need to be where the people are, and not wait for the people to come to where the doctor is," he emphasized.
According to the president, "this new version of Mais Médicos is here to stay definitively and become a standard of healthcare in this country. We have to learn that it is not something of Nísia [Trindade, Minister of Health] or President Lula. It belongs to all of us. Because if it's not like that, it ends."
Lula also indirectly criticized the dismantling of the program by the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) by stating, "When Padilha [former Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha] created Mais Médicos, I never imagined that someone would be capable of putting an end to it. It was something so important for Brazilian society that I didn't imagine that a president or any minister could simply say, 'This program will no longer happen. There are too many communists working in the periphery of this country. We will end Mais Médicos,' without saying what they would put in its place."
Now, according to Lula, "the return of Mais Médicos is like if we had planted a jabuticaba tree, someone came when the branches were full of jabuticabas, shook it, and all the jabuticabas fell, and now we are announcing that we are putting each jabuticaba back in its place, so that Brazilian society can savor it."
"This act today is actually the affirmation that in this country, definitively and forever, the money allocated to healthcare cannot be seen as an expense but must be seen as an investment. Why? Because in Brazil, we need to decide what is an expense and what is an investment. Everything that is social is considered an expense. And often, when it is discussed that budget cuts need to be made, they always try to cut precisely from social programs. Poor people represent a lot, and everything that is allocated for them is also a significant amount. But if you look at the number of people, it is very little money to take care of a lot of people," he emphasized.
The Mais Médicos Para o Brasil program, which recruits healthcare professionals to work throughout the country, will cost R$ 712 million this year. In total, 15,000 new positions will be opened for Brazilian and foreign doctors in 2023, which, according to the government, will ensure "access to healthcare for more than 96 million" people.

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"New 'More Doctors' program is here to stay and become the standard of healthcare in Brazil", says Lula

247 - A survey conducted by GloboNews revealed that less than 3% of the so-called CACs (collectors, sport shooters, and hunters) were inspected by the Army in 2022, the last year of Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) government. CACs are one of the main bases of Bolsonarism in Brazil.
According to the report, the number of registered CACs in 2019 reached 167,390 people, with only 11,574 undergoing inspections carried out by the Army, which corresponds to approximately 7%.
However, during Jair Bolsonaro's term, this number increased to 792,511, while the Army inspected just over 21,000 people during that period, totaling 2.7%.
During his time in office, Bolsonaro relaxed access to firearms and ammunition for civilians as a way to consolidate this electorate within his support base. Each individual can possess up to two registrations as a Hunter, Shooter, or Collector, with a maximum limit of 60 weapons per person.

Army inspected less than 3% of shooters in 2022, the last year of the Bolsonaro government

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defended on Thursday night the discussion of amendments with federal deputies but added that there "cannot" be a secret budget.
"You can discuss amendments that are made publicly, with society knowing where that resource will be allocated, which project that resource will be directed to. There is no problem in doing that. What is serious is when you convey the idea that it is secret. Then you create the thesis of suspicion, and it is never good to live under suspicion," said Lula in an interview with Record TV.
The so-called secret budget was a mechanism created during the government of Jair Bolsonaro for the distribution of resources based on the indication of parliamentarians without clarity about where the money was actually being allocated. In December of last year, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) declared the mechanism unconstitutional.
In the current government, the release of amendments has been used by the Planalto as one of the ways to obtain support from deputies in important votes, such as the tax reform.
STF - During the interview, Lula also reaffirmed that he does not appoint friends to the STF. Recently, the president received a series of criticisms for having nominated the lawyer Cristiano Zanin for a position as a minister in the STF, replacing Ricardo Lewandowski. The criticism arose precisely because of Zanin's proximity to Lula - the lawyer defended the president in cases related to the Lava Jato operation.
"I never choose a friend to be a minister of the Supreme Court because he is not there to provide services to me, he is there to provide services to Brazilian society," said Lula.
When specifically asked about Zanin and his proximity to him, Lula replied, "He was not a friend, he was my lawyer. And an extremely capable person."
The president also stated, "I will never need a personal favor from Zanin because I will never do anything wrong."
When questioned about his next nomination for the court, he evaded the question.
"I will always appoint people according to the interests of Brazilian society," he said.
In October, the current president of the Supreme Court, Minister Rosa Weber, will have to retire compulsorily, opening a vacancy in the court.
Lula was also asked about a possible asylum for the founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, who is currently imprisoned in the United Kingdom and is expected to be extradited to the United States.
Assange is sought by US authorities on 18 charges related to the WikiLeaks' disclosure of vast amounts of classified military documents and diplomatic messages from the United States.
"I don't think it was even possible (to grant asylum) because he is imprisoned in England, and I believe his extradition to the US has already been decided," replied Lula, adding that as a democrat, he is concerned that Assange is imprisoned at a time when there is much talk about press freedom.

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"I will always appoint people according to the interests of Brazilian society," says Lula

247 - Adolfo Sachsida, former Minister of Mines and Energy in Jair Bolsonaro's government (PL), stated that if the former president had won the election, Petrobras would have been privatized. "Although many people didn't believe this was possible, the privatization was being prepared by the government," Sachsida said in an interview with the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo.&nbsp;
"The current government has a very different worldview from ours. When I was Minister of Mines and Energy, I always sought to provide a clear direction for each of the areas under my responsibility. In the oil and gas sectors, my direction was to generate competition," the former minister said. "We were going to bring a lot of competition to the oil and gas sectors in Brazil within a year and a half," he emphasized.
According to Sachsida, "there were several proposals on the table regarding how to privatize Petrobras, but we were studying a way to privatize it while generating competition in the oil and gas sectors. We wouldn't replace a state monopoly with a private monopoly. This would greatly facilitate and improve the lives of Brazilians. In the case of PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S/A), the process was already more advanced. We even sent a bill to Congress to sell the receivables of thirty years from PPSA, which was a way to privatize the company."
"Based on my understanding with him until the end of the government, there was a green light to proceed with the privatization of Petrobras. In fact, it was carried out. It wasn't just talk. The first step was to ask the PPI (Investment Partnership Program) to begin studying the privatization, and the PPI council approved our request. My first official act was to request from Minister Paulo Guedes, to whom the PPI was subordinated, to include PPSA and Petrobras in the privatization process. So, I believe I would have the president's support to continue the process if he had won the election. However, everything has changed now. President Lula ordered the exclusion of Petrobras, PPSA, and six other companies, such as Correios (Brazilian Postal Service), EBC (Brazilian Communication Company), and Serpro (Federal Data Processing Service), from the PPI," Sachsida highlighted in another part of the interview.

Former minister confirms Bolsonaro's sell-out policies: 'We were going to privatize Petrobras'

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stated on Thursday (13) that the government's relationship with the National Congress is at its best moment in decades. He highlighted the historic opportunity for Brazil to advance national interests during this positive momentum. These statements were made during the ceremony for the signing of the law creating the new program "Minha Casa, Minha Vida" held at the Palácio do Planalto.
Lula emphasized that Brazil does not belong solely to the Workers' Party (PT) or to himself, but to all Brazilians. According to him, people are recognizing the transformative moment the country is going through, and he emphasized that if they take care and pay attention to the political landscape, this could be Brazil's decade.
"The country will return to normalcy, and the relationship with the National Congress is at its best moment in decades," Lula stated. "Brazil does not belong to the PT or Lula. People are realizing the historical moment that the country is experiencing. If we take good care of the political moment, this will be Brazil's decade," he added.
However, Lula criticized the President of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto, pointing out that he is not the "owner of Brazil" and that it is not unreasonable to demand a reduction in interest rates.

'Relationship with Congress is the best in decades,' says Lula

247 - Senator Hamilton Mourão (Republicanos-RS) decided to attack President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) on Wednesday (12) after the federal government ended civic-military schools, which were created during Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) administration. Currently, there are 203 schools that have shared management between civilians and the military. They serve 192,000 students in 23 states and the Federal District. Each unit received R$1 million for adaptation to the model.
"The vengeful decision of the PT government, by choosing to end the civic-military schools program in Brazil, cannot be forgotten! These people take away from children the greatest wealth, quality education. They take away from children the opportunity to build a better future, based on an educational proposal that encompasses both academic and moral-civic formation, creating better citizens for the country. Where is the unity and reconstruction? All I see is destruction!" wrote the senator on Twitter.
According to the document from the Lula government, the progressive closure of the program and the "demobilization of military personnel assigned to the educational units linked to the program" will be put into practice. "It is the responsibility of the Regional Coordinators of the Program and the Focal Points of the Secretariats to ensure the implementation of strategies that are more appropriate to comply with the guidelines issued by the Senior Administration, as well as to ensure a careful transition of activities that does not compromise the daily routine of the schools," the document stated.

Hamilton Mourão e Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

General Mourão attacks Lula government for ending civic-military schools

Agência Brasil – The decrease in the official inflation rate in June, announced this Tuesday (11th) by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), is seen as a pressure element for the Monetary Policy Committee (Copom) of the Central Bank (BC) to begin a cycle of interest rate cuts, starting in August. This is the opinion of economists interviewed by Agência Brasil.
The National Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) was -0.08% last month. It was the lowest index for a June since 2017. The food and beverages and transportation groups were the ones that most contributed to pushing prices down last month.
"Inflation has been on a downward trajectory since February, and the 12-month accumulated rate is at 3.16%, right in the center of the inflation target. Since the Selic rate is meant to achieve this target, the demand for a reduction should gain strength," says Professor Jorge Claudio Cavalcante, from the Department of Economic Analysis at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).
Economist Fabio Bentes from the National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services, and Tourism (CNC) considers the IPCA result a "pleasant surprise." "I was expecting stability or a slight decrease, but it came out as a stronger decline than expected," he evaluates.
According to André Braz from the Brazilian Institute of Economics at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (Ibre/FGV), there are three main factors putting pressure on the monetary authority. One of them is the diffusion index, which measures the percentage of products and services that have experienced price increases. This index has been declining. "In June, it dropped to 50%. Two or three months ago, it was around 60%, so this shows that fewer products and services have seen price increases, which is a good sign," he points out.
Another factor, according to Braz, is the so-called core inflation. "The core inflation has the task of measuring the true trend of inflation, and despite being far from the target, it is showing deceleration, which also anticipates that inflation is indeed undergoing a reduction," he analyzes.
The economist also highlights the behavior of food prices. "This is good because it shows that where the most vulnerable population feels the inflation the most, the IPCA is also losing momentum. This deflation process that starts with food favors the condition of the monetary policy itself [interest rate control]. I would say that we have the elements for a first interest rate cut at the August [Copom] meeting," Braz points out.
Economist and professor at Ibmec, Gilberto Braga, believes in a consensus for interest rate cuts but points out a warning sign that could limit the size of the cut.
"There has been an increase in the price of services, which is an extremely relevant sector in the inflation composition. It is the only negative point that can be seen in this June's IPCA. This rules out, in my view, a larger reduction than 0.25 percentage points," he evaluates.
Consumer's pocket – Although the food and beverages group had the greatest impact on the decline in prices in June, Professor Jorge Claudio Cavalcante from UERJ explains that the population may not necessarily have felt this relief in their pockets yet. "We should expect a more pronounced drop before people begin to feel relief," he predicts.
Highlighting that the June IPCA showed a 8.96% decrease in the price of soybean oil, economist Ricardo Caldas, a professor at the University of Brasília (UnB), points out that consumers gain purchasing power. "It is a quite substantial decrease and will certainly reflect in purchasing power because consumers who save on soybean oil will spend that extra money on other things."
"The general perception, when comparing from a longer-term perspective, is that food is still expensive, which is indeed confirmed because they have been the villains of inflation since the pandemic. Those who do frequent shopping notice that some items have become cheaper. But those who do not go to the markets regularly and have price memory still have a sense that everything is very expensive," says Gilberto Braga.
Copom - Professor Marco Antônio Rocha from the Institute of Economics at the State University of Campinas relativizes the pressure that June's negative inflation may have on Copom.
"Deflation is very concentrated in items of the IPCA that respond little to monetary policy [interest rates]. Food prices are determined by the market, and transportation prices are administered, so in essence, monetary policy had little relation to this deflation," he evaluates.
The Copom holds meetings every 45 days to decide on the basic interest rate. Currently, the Selic is at 13.75%, under the justification that it is necessary to combat inflation. At the end of the most recent meeting on June 21st, the Copom issued a statement to explain the decision: "The committee assesses that the conjuncture demands patience and serenity in the conduct of monetary policy and reminds that future steps of monetary policy will depend on the evolution of inflation dynamics, especially those components most sensitive to monetary policy and economic activity, inflation expectations, particularly longer-term expectations, inflation projections, the output gap, and the balance of risks," the note emphasizes.
High interest rates are a way to control inflation as they discourage consumption and make credit more expensive. However, they are more recessive, affecting economic growth and job creation. That is why the government, businesses, and labor unions have been pressuring for a reduction in the Selic.
The next Copom meeting will be on August 1st and 2nd. Ricardo Caldas from UnB points out that, in addition to the recent deflationary scenario, a change in the composition of the committee increases the pressure for a reduction in the Selic. The Senate approved the names of two new directors appointed by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the beginning of the month. "The board is no longer solely made up of appointments from the previous government. With this, the thesis of interest rate reduction also gains strength within the Central Bank," he explains.
Economist Fabio Bentes from CNC highlights that the country is experiencing the lowest accumulated inflation in 12 months since September 2020, at the height of the pandemic. "Therefore, this opens up room for some inflection in the monetary policy of the country," he says. According to him, the fact that food prices are trending downward suggests that a change in the Central Bank's stance will not be limited to just one reduction in the Selic rate, but rather several reductions.
"[The downward trend in food prices] is great because it tends to make inflation throughout this year continue to move toward the center of the target. This should lead the Central Bank to begin implementing a series of interest rate cuts. Of course, the Central Bank does not look at June's inflation, nor does it look at the inflation of 2023 anymore; it looks at the inflation of 2024. And the expectation for IPCA in 2024 is already within the inflation target range," he emphasizes.
The inflation target for this year is 3.25%, with a variation of 1.5 percentage points up or down. For 2024 and 2025, the government's target is an IPCA of 3%, with the same variation range.
Upcoming months - Although they see room for the Copom to cut interest rates, economists do not necessarily believe that there will be further negative results throughout 2023. "I don't think we should expect new deflations. For example, without the decrease in the price of new cars, the IPCA would have an increase in the range of 0.05%," estimates Cavalcante from UERJ.
"We have been seeing the price deceleration process since January. This should continue in the coming months. This decline will not necessarily generate deflation, but everything indicates that we will have a price index in 2023 that is lower than that of 2022 [5.79%], and the market is already betting on inflation in 2023 being below, that is, within the target," explains Caldas from UnB.
Economist André Braz from Ibre/FGV estimates that gasoline prices will increase in July due to the reintroduction of federal taxes. However, he does not expect significantly negative effects on overall inflation.
"We are seeing a more widespread inflation deflation, especially among food products. Cheaper food benefits families, especially the poorer ones, who allocate a larger portion of their income to food purchases. This shows that the inflationary process will be less harsh on families with less defense," he says.
Gilberto Braga from Ibmec points out that the controlled behavior of prices, such as health plans and public transportation, electricity, and water tariffs, will still continue to contribute to inflation. "We have important contract anniversaries, public transportation fare adjustments in some capitals, and when you look at the inflation over 12 months, you recall these adjustments. That is one of the reasons why you don't drastically bring down inflation from one moment to another," he explains.
Professor Marco Antônio Rocha from Unicamp also believes that IPCA will end the year within the upper limit of the Central Bank's target. However, he emphasizes that Brazil is also exposed to risks that do not depend on Brazilian monetary policy. "There may be other pressures that arise along the way, for example, climate issues make the situation of food prices very uncertain. There are international disturbances in the conflict zone in Ukraine, which can affect the international market, and there is also the behavior of the American economy, which seems to be gaining strength," he enumerates.
The controlled behavior of IPCA and the expected cut in the Selic rate are, according to Fabio Bentes from CNC, drivers for economic growth. "We don't have major price pressures on the horizon that would warrant an excess of caution on the part of the monetary authority. We should end the year with a Selic rate around 12%, which is still very high, but the tendency is the beginning of a process of easing and, by the end of 2024, perhaps a Selic rate close to 9%. We will possibly be facing a new cycle of economic expansion."

Banco Central, Roberto Campos Neto e Lula

June deflation reinforces pressure on the Central Bank to reduce interest rates

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva addressed in his weekly podcast, this Tuesday (11), not only the importance of political negotiation, but also made comments on the president of the Central Bank, Roberto Campos Neto, and the expectations in relation to interest rates in the country. The basic interest rate is currently at 13.75%, despite pressure from the Lula government and the improvement in the economy.
Lula called the president of the Central Bank "stubborn", in a criticism of his conservative position. However, he said he believes interest rates will drop. He also highlighted the growing signs of optimism about the Brazilian economy. 
 
"Soon the interest rate will drop, because the BC president is stubborn... We have to be calm, we can't do magic. And always eep an eye on the most needy people," said Lula on the EBC podcast.

Central Bank president is "stubborn", but interest rates will drop, says Lula

Brasil 247 – A sense of optimism has been observed among multinational companies operating in Brazil, driven by reduced inflation expectations and positive prospects regarding Tax Reform and the fiscal scenario. According to a survey conducted by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo with one hundred multinational companies during teleconferences in May and June, 80% of executives expressed positive comments about their operations in the country. The remaining 20% mentioned concerns or complaints. The favorable climate is reflected in areas such as food, technology, agricultural supplies, and pharmaceuticals, with an expectation of increased sales.
Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, various multinational companies are celebrating improvements in inflation rates, purchasing power of the population, and prospects of a favorable agricultural harvest, along with the growth in Chinese demand in the context of post-Covid reopening. Positive statements from executives stand out, such as Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, who reported "stellar" performance in emerging markets, including record-breaking quarters in Brazil, India, and Malaysia. Other examples include statements from Marcelo Rabach, CEO of Arcos Dorados, who described an extremely positive first quarter, and companies like Kellogg, Hormel Foods, AB Inbev, and Brown-Forman, which reported sales growth or expressed confidence in the coming months.
Market analysts also have a more optimistic view of Latin America as a whole. Karina Saade, Director at BlackRock Fund in Brazil, highlights the optimism of global investors due to the region being more advanced in its interest rate cycle, with central banks closer to the end of monetary tightening. She mentions that the outlook is for a decline in interest rates, in contrast to most developed countries. Additionally, the region attracts interest for investments related to energy transition, such as lithium and copper exploration, adoption of solar energy, and the nearshoring movement – production closer to consumer markets.
According to the survey, the overall climate is one of confidence, with multinational companies noting a promising Brazilian market and expecting growth in sales in the coming months.

Under the leadership of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil has become a hot spot for multinational companies

247 – The tax reform approved by the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies represents a significant advancement in simplifying the system, writes former Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles in an article published in the newspaper Estado de S. Paulo. The main change is the replacement of five taxes (PIS, Cofins, IPI, ISS, ICMS) with two, CBS (federal) and IBS (state and municipal). According to Meirelles, the elimination of ICMS is the most important point as it eliminates a series of problems caused by the coexistence of 27 state legislations. With a simpler structure, after 30 years of discussions, a better business environment and a greater capacity to attract investment are expected.
According to Meirelles, the current tax system is extremely complex and causes losses to the country. According to a World Bank study, a Brazilian company spends, on average, over 2,600 hours per year dealing with bureaucracy to pay taxes. This does not include the working time needed to generate enough revenue to cover taxes, but rather the working hours of accountants, lawyers, and others to fulfill bureaucratic obligations.
This complexity increases the so-called "Brazil cost," driving away investors and harming entrepreneurs. Meirelles points out, however, that some governors are dissatisfied because they like to have the power to tax, to discuss tax rates with each taxpayer, and to offer lower rates to attract companies. "I understand that they do not want to lose this power. However, the productivity gain for the entire Brazilian economy is more important. Those who invest in Brazil will have better conditions to produce, which is essential to generate more jobs, income, and drive economic growth. This will only be possible with a rational tax system, something we have been waiting for 30 years", he notes.

Henrique Meirelles says tax reform improves the investment environment

247 - After becoming aware of the messages obtained through Operation Spoofing and released by Jornal GGN, which reveal that prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol from Operation Car Wash planned an attack against Minister Bruno Dantas from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), Dantas reacted and requested from the Supreme Federal Court (STF) the copies of all the complete dialogues.
The TCU minister stated that he will verify the veracity of the dialogues and is already considering legal action against the suspected former judge Sergio Moro and Deltan based on the content revealed by the messages. Dantas also referred to those involved in the Car Wash operation as a "gang of hired guns."
"I will request from the STF copies of all the dialogues to assess legal measures. If they are true, they demonstrate the incestuous relationship within Operation Car Wash and reveal a gang of hired gunmen receiving an order for reputation assassination," declared the minister, as reported by GGN.

Bruno Dantas reacts to Deltan's attack plan and calls Lava Jato a "gang of hired guns"

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivered a speech on Saturday (8) discussing his vision for the sustainable development of the Amazon, highlighting the region's significance as a hub for regional integration. The speech took place during the Technical-Scientific Meeting of the Amazon, held in Leticia, Colombia.
According to Lula, the meeting focused on discussing the protection of indigenous peoples, promoting innovation, the economy, and combating transnational crimes. Lula emphasized that Amazonian countries face two major challenges: an institutional challenge related to strengthening the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and a political challenge that requires a new vision of sustainable development for the region.
The Amazon Cooperation Treaty, which celebrated its 45th anniversary, was an initiative to protect the region from external pressures. Over the years, it has evolved into the creation of ACTO, which brings together eight countries and stands out as the only socio-environmental organization in the world. Lula highlighted the importance of this organization in addressing the most urgent challenge of our time: climate change, and called for greater attention and investment in ACTO.
The president proposed using resources from development banks, as well as public and private funds, to promote family farming, artisanal fishing, agroforestry projects, and the network of women's entrepreneurship. Additionally, Lula mentioned that the Belém Summit will serve as a platform for Amazonian countries to seek leadership in finding solutions.
Lula also emphasized that deforestation in the Amazon has decreased by 33.6% in the first quarter of 2023 and reaffirmed his commitment to zero deforestation by 2030. He called on Amazonian countries to make this commitment during the Belém COP in 2025.
Regarding combating crime, Lula announced the creation of an international police cooperation center in Manaus. He praised indigenous peoples, women, and environmental advocates for their tireless work in defending the environment and criticized the history of violence they have faced.
Lula also criticized the lack of representation in international financing mechanisms, such as the Global Environment Facility, which was created in the World Bank. According to him, these institutions reproduce the exclusionary logic of the Bretton Woods institutions, which historically have benefited the interests of more developed nations at the expense of developing countries. Lula emphasized the importance of promoting greater participation and influence of Amazonian countries and other developing nations in defining policies and accessing financial resources for environmental preservation and sustainable development.
Lula emphasized in his speech the need to ensure a dignified quality of life for the inhabitants of the Amazon, understanding that it is not just an ecological sanctuary. He highlighted that the development of the Amazon should encompass economic, social, and environmental aspects, striving for a balance between environmental preservation and socioeconomic progress.

In Colombia, Lula outlines a vision for the sustainable economy of the Amazon

247 – In an interview on TV 247, Rui Costa, revealed details about President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's plan to relaunch the Growth Acceleration Program (PAC). According to Costa, PAC 3 will have annual investments that could reach approximately R$ 70 billion, aiming to boost the country's economic growth.
During the interview, Rui Costa emphasized the importance of resuming the programs that marked President Lula's first two terms, also highlighting the improvement of macroeconomic indicators during that period. However, he stressed the need to reduce interest rates to further drive economic development.
One of the government's main concerns is the number of stalled projects, especially in the Minha Casa, Minha Vida (My House, My Life) program. The minister stated that over 4,000 infrastructure projects have already been resumed, and the government is working to reactivate other projects that were halted since Dilma Rousseff's presidency. "President Lula found 180,000 stalled projects in the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program. Some of them had started under Dilma's government. We have resumed over 4,000 stalled infrastructure projects," he said.
Additionally, Rui Costa announced the relaunch of the Luz para Todos (Light for All) and Água para Todos (Water for All) programs, which aim to provide electricity and clean water to underprivileged regions of the country. These initiatives will be integrated into the new PAC, which will also involve concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to leverage investments.
The minister highlighted that the new PAC will have a special focus on sustainability, with the implementation of new transmission lines and investments in clean energy. This initiative aims to contribute to the country's sustainable development and strengthen the national energy sector.
National engineering – Rui Costa also addressed the government's concern about rehabilitating major Brazilian engineering companies that were affected by the repercussions of Operation Car Wash. The minister stated that it is necessary to recover these companies, even if it requires partnerships with foreign capital or international funds. "It is our concern to rehabilitate major Brazilian engineering companies. Operation Car Wash destroyed our companies. We need to rehabilitate them, even if associated with foreign capital or international funds," said Rui Costa.
During the interview, the minister praised the strength and determination of President Lula, highlighting his energy and resilience. Rui Costa also mentioned that the government's relationship with the National Congress is normalizing, which is crucial for the approval of important measures for the country.
Regarding the tax burden, Rui Costa stated that it is expected to decrease after the tax reform. According to the minister, Brazil currently has one of the most unfair tax systems, with the wealthiest individuals paying less than the poorest. Therefore, the reform will seek to correct this distortion and make the tax system more equitable.
Eletrobras – The energy sector was mentioned as strategic, and the minister highlighted the importance of the government having more voting power in Eletrobras. This measure aims to ensure national sovereignty in the management of the electricity sector and strengthen the state's role in this segment.
With the relaunch of the PAC and the planned investments, the Lula government seeks to boost economic growth and promote sustainable development in the country.