President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is expected to emphasize the importance of managing Brazil’s public finances in his first national television address since being reelected. He is also expected to thank voters and say he will govern for everyone, following a tense election campaign against Flávio Bolsonaro.
The address is expected to be recorded on Thursday, November 5, and broadcast on Sunday, November 8, on national radio and television. Lula is expected to adopt a conciliatory tone and signal concern about the country’s finances, while avoiding specific proposals for fiscal adjustment. He is also expected to point to his record in previous terms as evidence of his commitment to fiscal responsibility.
A central message is expected to be that keeping public finances in order is necessary to make social policies sustainable over time. The economic team has used that argument as it seeks to persuade Lula to take steps to control public debt.
The content of the speech has been discussed with Communications Minister Sidônio Palmeira, Chief of Staff Miriam Belchior, Finance Minister Dario Durigan and Planning Minister Bruno Moretti. Foreign policy may also be mentioned, though that topic was still under consideration.
The government remains divided over the scale of possible fiscal measures. The Finance and Planning ministries have been preparing options ranging from limited adjustments to structural changes, with agreement on pursuing the fiscal target but differences over what else should be adopted. Lula has shown reluctance toward more far-reaching proposals, which could conflict with campaign commitments to protect social rights.
The election result has reinforced the president’s focus on maintaining those rights. Lula won nearly 64.3 million votes, compared with 59.8 million for Bolsonaro in the second round. The economic team is presenting its proposals as a way to keep social programs sustainable in the years ahead.
Sources: Folha Poder.