The candidate for the Presidency of the Republic by the PDT, Ciro Gomes, signed, today (25), in São Paulo, a term of the Fundação Abrinq – philanthropic organization of the Brazilian Association of Toy Manufacturers (Abrinq) – committing to, if elected, prioritize public policies aimed at the well-being of children and adolescents.
He took advantage of the act to once again criticize the industrial policy of foreign trade, associating it with the closing of Brazilian factories over the last few decades. Defending that it is the role of the State to protect Brazilian producers without discouraging international competition, the pedetista cited the “Chinese standards” as a “reference” in terms of encouraging the technological modernization of the industrial park and entrepreneurship.
“Brazil, which once had 600 toy factories, lost 200 [nos últimos anos]”, commented Ciro, before being informed by the president of Abrinq, Synésio Batista da Costa, that, currently, only half of the toys sold in the country are produced in Brazil. The other 50% is purchased from China.
“This is not incompetence. It is because the Brazil project has long abandoned the task of creating a favorable business environment for those who produce and for those who work”, added Ciro Gomes, promising, if elected, “to transform the current business environment hostile to entrepreneurs into an environment stimulating”.
Closing of factories
“We need to stop the tragedy of Brazil being the country that closed the most industries over the last 20 years. It’s because? Because all business environment variables are hostile. It is necessary to fix the conditions of entrepreneurship having the Chinese standards at least as a reference for our search”, said the candidate, citing three of his government proposals for the sector.
“First, [rever] the financing condition. In China, discounting inflation, [a taxa de] interest for 15 years is at 0%. In Brazil, we are increasing, again, to the highest interest rate in the world. I have a proposal to bring our fee [de juros] to the international standard. Second, technological assistance. What qualifies a toy or electronics is technology. And Brazil does not invest in that. My project gives Brazil the ability to overcome the technological backwardness. Third, scale. When you produce in a huge Chinese megacorporation, the final price ends up being cheaper. This obliges the Brazilian State to have an industrial foreign trade policy that protects the Brazilian structure, without loss of efficiency so that the Brazilian competitor is able to compete on equal terms”, concluded the candidate.
In addition to Gomes, four other candidates for the Presidency of the Republic have already signed the term of the Presidente Amigo da Criança Program: Soraya Thronicke (União Brasil); José Maria Eymael (DC); Felipe D’Ávila (Novo) and Simone Tebet (MDB). Fundação Abrinq invited all candidates to make the commitment and is in contact with the campaign teams of the others.
