Guedes blames ‘infiltrated PT’ for a minimum wage plan without correction for past inflation

The Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, said in a virtual event with representatives of cooperatives this Tuesday (25) that the plan to remove the correction of the minimum wage and retirement for past inflation, revealed by Sheetcomes from PT militants infiltrated in the ministry.

At the event with the OCB (Organization of Cooperatives in Brazil), the minister was referring to the report that showed that the ministry is working on an ambitious plan to reformulate the spending ceiling and “break the floor”, that is, to stop the growth of expenses that today they put pressure on the Budget — including social security benefits or benefits linked to the minimum wage.

The minister attributed the news to PT members who would have infiltrated the ministry and who would be disseminating old studies or studies that did not go through it to the press, with the aim of wearing down the campaign of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who is seeking re-election.

“Someone, possibly a PT from within — and among 160,000 people, there must be a lot of PT inside the ministry—, takes on a job that doesn’t have our endorsement or our support. We never decide anything in that direction. They do a little internal work , they sign it themselves and pass it on to journalists,” he said.

Without giving any names, Guedes continued attributing the leak of studies to an internal boycott.

“Every Noah’s Ark has a woodpecker trying to drill holes in the ground to sink the boat. Here at the ministry there is also always a PT with a pickaxe in his hand, leaking a study that has already been abandoned. The pickaxe never gives up, they tried that during the pandemic, they don’t even respect the disease,” he said.

according to Sheet revealed, the disclosure of the plan opened a crisis in the Ministry of Economy. According to reports, Guedes started an internal operation to try to find out who was responsible for the leak.

Then the minister said that workers, retirees and pensioners received increases in the minimum wage, pensions and pensions, even during the pandemic. “We protect the elderly and workers who receive the minimum wage, we correct wages, pensions, benefits and pensions.”

However, the last time the national floor was readjusted above inflation — that is, with a real gain — was in early 2019.

Guedes also blamed the press for publishing the studies, calling the journalists “militants”.

“They’ve already stolen a lot, now they want to steal the tranquility of the Brazilian population. A lie, fake news, comes out every day. As we approach the election, despair increases on the other side and they start to lie. I’m forced to say that. , I have to deny the blatant lies that are being told every day,” said the minister.

Guedes, however, admitted at an event last week the possibility of discussing measures to de-stamp and de-index the Budget. He said he would not change the correction rule “during the game”, but left the door open to discuss changes to the Brazilian tax framework, including the de-indexation of the minimum wage.

This Tuesday, the minister also refuted a report published by the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, according to which the Economy is studying the deduction of health and education expenses from the Income Tax. The document would have been prepared by the economic team after the first round.

“Are we going to believe half a dozen liars who want to steal the Brazilian’s hope? Let’s move on, grow ten years in a row 3%, 3.5%, 4%. Investments will come from abroad, creation of a mass consumer market , with jobs and income for everyone”, he said.

The minister also took the opportunity to criticize Bolsa Família, a PT program, and to compare it with its replacement, Auxílio Brasil. The Bolsonaro government program had its benefit raised to R$600 on the eve of the elections.

“It’s not those alms programs that were given before, they are three or four times what was given before, it’s a basic income transfer, a liberal program.”