The Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, defended this Tuesday (11) the gradual increase of the area’s budget to 2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP, the sum of all goods and services in the country). According to him, currently the amount is at 1.3%.
José Múcio participated, in Rio de Janeiro, in the opening ceremony of Laad Defense & Security 2023, the largest defense sector fair in Latin America. According to the minister, however, at this time when hunger and unemployment are high, it is difficult to discuss the increase.
“We have resource needs in other areas,” said the minister. “We have a lot of unemployed people, a lot of people going hungry. It’s very difficult to discuss this [aumento do orçamento da Defesa] when hunger and unemployment are still our greatest adversaries”.
jobs
Despite citing unemployment as a priority challenge, Múcio stated that investments in defense can generate jobs. “It is an industry that generates a lot of jobs, which pays a lot of taxes,” he said.
According to him, this Tuesday, 20 bilateral meetings are planned with representatives of other countries that are interested in buying Brazilian products or establishing partnerships with Brazilian companies in the defense sector.
Military
In an interview with the press, the minister said that the federal government’s relationship with the military is “absolutely pacified”. “Each one knowing what their role is and each one being aware of their needs. Brazil needs everyone.”
Múcio pointed out that the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has honored the military, and pointed out that officers were recently received at the Planalto Palace in a promotion ceremony.
The minister also spoke about studies to make an additional purchase of new Grippen fighters, in addition to the 36 already acquired by the Brazilian government. “The Air Force says there is a need, but evidently you have to see cash, priority. We are studying it and it is still in an embryonic stage, ”he said.
