For businessmen, Lula has the challenge of uniting Brazil

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The pacification of a divided country and the command that president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) intends to place in the economy in his future government are the main themes evaluated by big businessmen on this Sunday night (30) of election.

In the final hours of the polls, the business community also highlighted the importance of the country overcoming possible challenges to the electoral system, an agenda fueled by the defeated candidate Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in the race for reelection, avoiding turmoil.

“They were the most disputed elections in the history of Brazil and, despite the enormous polarization, they took place without major incidents. They were exemplary elections, and whether you like the result or not, it’s up to us to accept it”, said Ricardo Lacerda, from BR Partners, who declared his vote for Bolsonaro in the 2nd round.

He still sees uncertainty in the economy. “The president-elect was supported by a wide range of renowned economists. The market will now want to know if they will have any influence on the new government or if Lula will be guided by the PT program”, says Lacerda.

The businessman and former president of Fiesp (Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo) Horácio Lafer Piva says that the challenge now is to help Lula to “reposition his still so vague project” for sustainable growth, without chicken wings.

“We have a split country. Challenges in the economy, but enormous in terms of pacification, in a new country that plays together to win and not divide to lose”, he says.

He classifies Lula as “a pragmatist” and says he believes that PT is able to create an affirmative and constructive conversation with the industry. “I remember that the interior of São Paulo proved to be more conservative and will demand attention rather than confrontation”, says Piva.

For Luiz Fernando Figueiredo, president of Mauá Capital and former director of the Central Bank, Lula said very little, and the priority now is to observe his announcements involving names of ministers and government plans.

“There is uncertainty in the air. Let’s see if, in the coming days, this uncertainty decreases. The big problem is that we have a vulnerability, because we have a very large debt. Many promises have been made on both sides. We can even imagine some additional expense next year, but the important thing is to understand what framework will come from now on”, says Figueiredo.

Even before the polls were counted, Laercio Cosentino, chairman of the board of directors of Totvs, said that neither Lula nor Bolsonaro represent the Brazil he would like to have, but it is necessary to relax and accept it.

“As we live in a democracy, tomorrow we will continue to work for the Brazil we want. The important thing is the team and the principles that guide each candidacy. We will work for 2026. A united Brazil is stronger and sovereign”, says Cosentino, who supported the third way before the first round.

Another enthusiast of the third way, Antonio Carlos Pipponzi, chairman of the board of Raia Drogasil, says that democracy has won. “Lula will need to use his leadership skills to pacify the country. Some choices will be very important for this to happen, especially in the economy, agriculture and environment”, says the businessman.

For Eduardo Mufarej, from RenovaBR, the profound transformations that the country requires will only be achieved collectively, with national pacification and new political practices.

“Politics in Brazil deserves dialogue and tolerance as pillars. The path I dream of is represented in the victories of Eduardo Leite, [PSDB, eleito governador do Rio Grande do Sul]and Raquel Lyra [PSDB, eleita governadora de Pernambuco]. The two ethical and responsible governors are the pavement of the future that I want,” she says.

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