Arminio Fraga declares vote for Lula and will meet with PT members

The election this Sunday (2) of senators and deputies with a right-wing profile, which leaves Congress more conservative and aligned with President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), was the trigger for economist Arminio Fraga to publicly declare, this Tuesday (4) , his vote for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in the second round of the presidential election.

“The most important thing for Brazil today is to improve politics, guaranteeing the most basic, democracy,” he said in an interview with Sheetby phone.

In addition to confirming his position —anticipated by the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo—, the former president of the Central Bank and columnist for the Sheet stated that he accepted an invitation to talk to PT members.

“There is a large space to think about priorities for Brazil. But the situation we are experiencing today goes far beyond the discussion of technocratic issues, such as what would be the best sequence for the approval of reforms or the exact design of the tax system”, he says.

Arminio did not directly answer whether he would accept an invitation to be a minister: “I was not approached, I was not invited and I believe I will not be”, he said.

With a low profile, the economist is not used to the spotlight. However, concerned about the current government’s undemocratic stance, he began to make public statements in defense of the institutions.

In August, in an unprecedented attitude, he spoke at the event of the Law School of Largo São Francisco, USP (University of São Paulo), in which a manifesto of support for democracy was launched.

Why open the vote to Lula? I already had an announced inclination to vote for the PT if I considered it necessary. It was already my intention. Assessing the result of the first round, which formed a right-wing, conservative Congress, largely in favor of the current government, my decision in this direction was strengthened.

Did you talk to someone from PT before making the decision? No, it was a solo initiative. I didn’t talk to anyone.

Mr. was contacted by PT to talk? I was approached to exchange ideas, which I think is healthy. I will talk. I already accepted.

what mr. Will you defend in these conversations? Issues such as arranging the inspector are important and demand attention. There is a large space to think about priorities for Brazil.

But the situation we are experiencing today goes far beyond the discussion of technocratic issues, such as what would be the best sequence for approving reforms or the exact design of the tax system.

The most important thing for Brazil today is to improve policy, guaranteeing the most basic, democracy, transparency in decision-making in the economic sphere, to go deep into diagnoses and make proposals.

We need to restore calm to the country, an environment that allows us to broaden horizons and take care of Brazil’s development.

Mr. would you accept if he were invited to be Minister of Economy? I was not probed, I was not invited and I believe I will not be.