Lula prefers to hear businessmen speak during dinner with PIB in SP

Leader in the polls, the PT presidential candidate, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, met on Tuesday night (27) with businessmen from Grupo Esfera Brasil, which brings together names from various sectors. The dinner, which marks the last big meeting of the kind before the first round, took place at the house of the group’s founder, João Camargo, in Morumbi (south zone of São Paulo).

Lula made an opening speech of about two minutes and opened the space for questions, preferring to listen to those present. It was followed by five-minute speeches by Abilio Diniz (Península Participações), André Esteves (for the banking sector), Fábio Ermirio de Moraes (for industry) and Luis Henrique Guimarães (on behalf of agribusiness).

The former president listened to the businessmen’s statements for about 20 minutes. The PT later spoke for about 40 minutes.

Lula said he wanted one more chance to rebuild the country. “Lulinha peace and love and Alckmin are back,” she said. At that moment, it was much applause.

Among those present were the president of Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo), Josué Gomes, Benjamin Steinbruch, from CSN, and Flávio Rocha, from Riachuelo.

Also in attendance were Michael Klein, from Casas Bahia, Marta Cachola, from BTG Pactual, Rubens Ometto, from Raízen, and Salo Seibel, from Léo Madeiras. Presenter and businessman Roberto Justus and Luiz Carlos Trabuco Cappi, chairman of Bradesco’s Board of Directors were also present.

Esfera had already promoted meetings with other candidates, such as President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), but the event with the president had limited audience.

According to the organizers, a total of 137 businessmen participated in the dinner with Lula, being the largest meeting ever promoted by the group.

When addressing the autonomy of the Central Bank, another issue that has raised questions among the business community, Lula said that the institution’s current president, Roberto Campos Neto, is no more independent than Henrique Meirelles had when he held the post in his government.

PT proposed a triple commitment so that the fight against inflation also involves discussion about economic growth and job creation.

“You fought a lot for the BC to be independent, I honestly don’t know what changes with the independent Central Bank. I doubt that this guy who is there, I don’t know him, would have more independence than Meirelles had”, said the PT.

The difference, Lula told the businessmen, is that Meirelles participated in meetings where other interests were discussed, such as job creation and the purchasing power of workers. The PT also defended that it is not enough to control inflation through interest rates.

Lula also said that, if he hypothetically appointed banker André Esteves, from BTG, to command the autarchy, even in this situation two years from now, only controlling inflation through interest rates would not be enough.

The heavy rain in São Paulo made the candidate arrive more than an hour late for the event, which was scheduled to last until 8:30 pm, but ended around 9:30 pm. Lula left just before 10pm.

Lula has been trying to build bridges with the business community since the beginning of the campaign. In several events, the former president had his vice-president candidate, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) as interlocutor.

The meeting, on the eve of the first round, was one of the main initiatives for dialogue between the PT candidate and the business community.

After dinner, Alckmin told the press that Lula had reversed the agenda and said he wanted to hear from entrepreneurs in the retail, financial, trade and agribusiness sectors.

“The president recovered the memory of his eight years in government, when the country grew and also looked ahead, citing the importance of carrying out tax reform.”

He also said that the former president took the opportunity to ask for votes from businessmen and did not speak of a possible revision of the labor reform.

One of the concerns of the businessmen present at the dinner was to feel the temperature of a possible new Lula government. Topics such as a possible revision of the labor reform have also been cause for alert.

According to deputy and former Minister of Health Alexandre Padilha (PT), the dinner crowns an environment that has already been created, of dialogue and joint planning.

“Issues that have been raised before, such as labor reform, are already clear. President Lula has a concern for women and app workers, he wants to do this in a space for dialogue, he wants to lead a new cycle of growth, with fiscal responsibility and international recognition.”

In the late afternoon, before the ex-president’s arrival, a group of about 25 PT militants gathered at the entrance to the condominium, chanting words of support for Lula. Shouts of “Lula thief” were also heard from residents of neighboring buildings.