In an interview with Pedro Bial on “TV Globo”, the president of the BC states that he heard more than he said in the meeting with the head of the Executive
The president of B.C. (Central bank), Roberto Campos Netosaid he was “well aligned” with the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad. He participated in the early hours of this Tuesday (3.Oct.2023) in the program “Conversation with Bial“, from the TV Globo. During the almost 40 minutes of the interview, Campos Neto avoided criticizing the president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and its government.
“I try to stay very focused, very concentrated, on where we want to get to. So, I’m not worried about the noise in the short term”, he said, adding that he determined a plan to “everything I was going to do” when he took over the BC.
Pedro Bial, who conducted the interview, said that Campos Neto became the “evil favorite” from the current government, but “didn’t let himself get discouraged”. The journalist and presenter called the BC president a diplomat when answering questions about his relationship with Lula.
Campos Neto commands the BC from the government Jair Bolsonaro (PL). With the autonomy of the monetary authority, sanctioned in 2021, he and the 8 directors have 4-year terms. The president of the Central Bank he said who remains in office until the end of his term, on December 31, 2024. He may be reappointed for another 4 years, but stated that he is contrary.
The BC was the main target of criticism from Lula and government allies in 2023. Until September 27, the date of the 1st meeting between the presidents of the Republic and the monetary authority, Campos Neto had been criticized 113 times.
“Lula spends more time paying attention to what you say. He dedicates more time, has more patience for conversations”, said Campos Neto. “Bolsonaro was faster. I always knew that, when I had a conversation with Bolsonaro, I had 3 minutes to say something. After 3 minutes, it would be more difficult, because he would become more dispersed”, he added.
Campos Neto said it was not “so close” by the former president. “Bolsonaro always gave me all the freedom, I never had any problems. He never called to complain about anything. Never interfered with anything, zero”, he declared. “We sometimes hear a lot of ‘ah, authoritarian president’. I wasn’t that close, but when it came to my work, I always had complete freedom”, he added.
Campos Neto defended the BC’s autonomy. He stated that it is essential for the president of the monetary authority to do “technical work, regardless of the political cycle”. He said to look for a “more decentralized management model” from the monetary authority, since the environment was “very hierarchical” when he took office.
Regarding last week’s meeting with Lula, Campos Neto stated that “listened more than he spoke”, unlike when they met in December 2022. “The first time, maybe I said too much. I thought this time it was important to listen more and talk less”, he declared.
The BC president said that the government “There are people who think differently“, What a “are trying to reach a common ground, which is to improve the lives of Brazilians”. About Haddad, he stated: “Obviously, we won’t think the same about everything, but we are well aligned. And in truth, we have always been well aligned”.
He classified it as “very good” her relationship with Haddad. According to Campos Neto, “many people” helped build a bridge with the minister.
“I know his work [Haddad] it is difficult. I know that cutting expenses is also difficult”, he said, adding that the country is “like a person” that, if you are in debt, you must “change the shape” to act until “be able to pay the debt”.
When asked about interest, he stated that, “given the conditions“, O rhythm of sequential cuts of 0.5 percentage points of the basic rate, the SelicIt is “appropriate”. According to Campos Neto, inflation is “on the correct path”.
Read more:
#Campos #Neto #avoids #criticizing #Lula #aligned #Haddad
