The Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, reacted to pressure from the financial sector, classifying it as a “speculative attack” on Real. He highlighted positive economic data, such as the reduction in the level of unemployment, the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the expansion of investments to support that facts such as the rise in the dollar against the Brazilian currency are not supported by reality.
“We live in two realities in the country. That of real life, of the real economy, which grew 3.2% last year; will grow 3.5% [em 2024] and [que registrou] the smallest [nível de] unemployment in the historical series”, commented Costa, referring to the current vacancy rate6.2%, the lowest level verified by the Continuous National Household Sample Survey (Pnad) since 2012.
“In other words, it is an extremely positive scenario. But on the other side, we have an imaginary scenario, of speculators, that is impossible to understand. From people who desire to earn extraordinary profits, trying to artificially raise the price of the dollar [e, consequentemente, encarecer] people’s living conditions”, declared the minister when participating in a meeting of the Advisory Council of the Brazilian Intelligence System (Consisbin), in Brasília.
For Costa, the pressures also suggest there are electoral interests. “As they are two very different scenarios, an idea is given as if they wanted to anticipate the scenario of [disputa eleitoral de] 2026. It seems to me much more like an action with a political, electoral profile, since real life, the real numbers, do not correspond to this speculative attack that we are suffering”, commented the minister, ensuring that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the federal government team are “serene”.
“We hope that, in a short time, those who carry out speculative attacks will pass, either because of the loss they will incur, or because of [força do] convincing, [por] believe in our country”, concluded Costa.
