In an exclusive interview for TV BrazilPresident Jair Bolsonaro today (11) took stock of government actions and spoke about the new forecast of accumulated growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021 released today by the Central Bank (BC), which was 4.5%. 
The president attributed the drop in GDP to the stoppage of sectors of the economy due to the covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions on circulation applied throughout Brazil. “In 2019, we took a Brazil with serious ethical, moral and economic problems. We took a lot of measures. Regrettably, 2020 came – the pandemic. We took about R$ 700 billion in debt to fight the pandemic. We ended up with almost zero to zero”, declared the president about the number of formal job vacancies.
During the stock exchange, Bolsonaro said that Brazil exceeded pessimistic expectations in the fall in domestic production. The number, however, was still significant and had a major impact on inflation and, consequently, prices. “The market was betting that we would lose 10%. We lost four or so. It’s a bad number, but in relation to the world, it was a fantastic number. We continue working and betting on the free market and on the trust that the world has in Brazil, with our policy”, he explained.
Regarding 2021 and the results released by the BC, the president said that the numbers are encouraging. “We ended 2021 with the certainty of being above 4%. It’s a fantastic number,” he added.
Watch the president’s full interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/udKKtnA5baw
The president stated that he does not think there was a greater or lesser participation in the recovery and creation of job vacancies in Brazil during the year 2021. He explained that the more than 2.7 million new formal opportunities registered during the period can be attributed to the joint efforts of economic activities. “Civil construction is the one that employs the most and has not stopped. Commerce too. In events, we work in this sector as well. We keep moving forward. Virtually all economic activities were present at this time [de 2021]” he explained.
Jair Bolsonaro criticized what he calls the “stay at home policy, we’ll see the economy later”, and classified the state interventions that forced the closure of shops, businesses and the movement of people in public spaces as “dictatorial”. Bolsonaro attributed the rise in inflation to falling productivity and the closure of small businesses. “In 2021, due to the stay-at-home policy and the economy we’ll see later, inflation came. In particular energy, fuels and foodstuffs.”
Brazil in the OECD
Invited by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to be part of the select group of member countries, Brazil will receive a “quality seal” if approved, said the president.
Jair Bolsonaro attributed the beginning of Brazilian efforts to be part of the organization to the government of former president Michel Temer. “The beginning of the relationship with the OECD was born in the Temer government. With us, we come to the engagement. It is proof that the market believes in us, that our foreign policy is very good. This makes life easier for Brazil,” he said. The politician estimated that the process for joining the organization should take up to four years.
Brazil aid
THE Brazil aida program created to replace Bolsa Família, was the solution articulated by the government to help the approximately 38 million informal workers who did not have labor rights or fixed income, and who were unable to exercise commercial practices during the period of restrictions, he explained. the president.
“Those with a fixed salary – civil servants, military personnel – have no problem. The CLT staff, the government collaborated with programs Well and pronampe. The informal – around 38 million – were hit hard. In a dictatorial way, without thinking about the consequences, they were forced to stay at home by the governors. The government assisted them via emergency aid,” he explained.
The president informed that the amount of resources injected during 2020 in emergency aid was equivalent to 15 years of Bolsa Família payments. More than 17 million people have benefited.
privatizations
Regarding the privatization of state-owned companies, Bolsonaro said that the bureaucratic complexity of the processes is an obstacle to the offer of state-owned companies to public-private partnerships or the total sale of operations. The president also stated that the current price of fuel can be attributed to the lack of necessary privatizations in Brazil. “We have a lot going on, because it really takes time. The price of fuel is partly because of this. If it had completed refineries, we wouldn’t need to be importing diesel and gasoline from other countries,” he explained.
5G and infrastructure
Considered the main technological advance of the federal government, the 5G auction and the arrival of the fifth generation of mobile connectivity in Brazil were also celebrated by the president, who spoke about the advantages of the arrival of high-speed internet in Brazilian schools with the WiFi Brasil program and the fiber optic coverage in the North Region – one of the most needy in terms of connectivity in Brazil. “Only when [o 5G] that the population will see what technology is. Everything will be present with 5G. In the middle of the year, practically all capitals will have it. In this all came a package for internet all over Brazil. We have submerged cables in the North Region. A fantastic thing is happening in Brazil,” he declared.
Still on the topic of infrastructure, Bolsonaro commented on the transposition of the São Francisco River, which had one more step delivered this week. “People’s satisfaction and joy is something indescribable. For us from the Center-West Southeast, from the South, water has never been absent in our lives. There, there is a constant lack of water. Only those who look at the face of the northeast and sees him feeling the water can also feel the satisfaction of these people”, he declared.
Corruption
The president also spoke about the absence of concrete cases of corruption during his administration, but stated that he will not be complacent if complaints arise. “I make it clear: if it happens, we will investigate. We won another year without corruption in Brazil. Something that in the past was two or three scandals a week. We had zero over three years. This is not a virtue, it is an obligation”, complemented.
Jair Bolsonaro also spoke briefly about land titling, as in Fernando de Noronha, and facilitating the possession of firearms – which he defined as especially important for farmers and field workers, who can defend their properties against invaders.
Students, salary floor and proof of life
Finally, the president discussed the recent announcements of debt renegotiation of the National Student Financing Programthe Fies, and also the Teacher salary floor readjustment. “There are 1.7 million elementary school teachers who deal with 38 million young students. We did our part, we hope that mayors and governors do theirs and value the teacher”, he argued.
About the changes to the National Social Security Institute’s proof of life (INSS), Bolsonaro criticized past administrations and said that the government is prepared to locate retirees’ records using databases from various bodies, such as the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). “There was a lack of goodwill on the part of those who were in the federal government. Proof of life does not have to be done only with the physical presence of the person. If the person voted, we have it there in the TSE that he voted. year? You don’t have to.”
*Updated article at 9:30 pm for additional information.
