A group of 38 economists signed a manifesto letter in favor of the useful vote in the 1st round of the 2022 Elections. “serious disagreements” with the policies adopted in the past by the PT government, but that the former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (EN) is the “the only leadership capable of defeating the biggest backwardness represented by the current government”.
The professionals are from companies and universities in Brazil, such as FGV (Getulio Vargas Foundation), insper and USP (University of São Paulo) and abroad, such as University of California, University of Cambridge and Yale. Here’s the intact of the document (50 KB).
They defended PT’s victory in the 1st round. “Enabling its victory in the 1st round seems to us to be the most forceful, safe and effective response to protect democracy in Brazil, thus increasing the future government’s commitment to policies that unify the country. We voted for Lula in favor of uniting a broad spectrum of political forces in defense of democracy, in the hope that we can have a government for all Brazilians”they wrote in the letter.
They said that the government of the president Jair Bolsonaro (PT), who is seeking re-election, had actions that caused a “disaster in the process of institutional and socioeconomic development of the country”. For economists, the measures affected “dramatically” the well-being of the population of Brazil.
The letter said that there was a “dismantle” of the environmental crimes inspection apparatus, which encouraged accelerated deforestation and depreciation of the country’s natural capital. They also argued that health policy was “calamitous”.
“The federal government did not coordinate the efforts of the SUS [Sistema Único de Saúde] and pandemic management [de covid] contributed to tens of thousands of preventable deaths.”declared.
The 38 economists claimed that Bolsonaro did not show empathy with people suffering from the death of loved ones by the health crisis.
The manifesto also said that the educational policy became guided by ideology and caused a setback in the learning of children and adolescents, especially the most vulnerable.
In the area of public security, the president would have encouraged, according to the letter, the resolution of conflicts in an individual and violent way. Bolsonaro advocated greater access to firearms and ammunition. “We sought to establish a safeguard for police officers to kill, with the attempt to approve the exclusion of illegality”they wrote.
DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMY
Economists said the government dismantled the Federal Budget by creating spending targeted at specific constituencies and interests months before the election, which would be a “Affront to Electoral Institutions”.
“There was a dismantling of the institutional capacity to fight corruption, and several complaints involving the current government, the president himself and his family members were not clarified”said.
For economists, President Jair Bolsonaro still makes repeated threats to democracy, attacks the Judiciary and fosters a climate of profound instability and the real risk of institutional rupture.
Read the full manifesto:
“Economists defend vote for Lula in the first round
“At this critical moment in Brazilian history, we, the undersigned, economists who have always stood in favor of economic stability, the strengthening of institutions and social justice, express our support for the candidacy of former President Lula, already in the first round.
“The actions and ineptitude of the current government caused a disaster in the process of institutional and socioeconomic development of the country, dramatically affecting the well-being of the Brazilian population.
The president promoted the dismantling of the environmental crimes inspection apparatus, encouraging accelerated deforestation and causing a serious deterioration of the environment and the depreciation of our natural capital.
“The health policy was calamitous, the federal government did not coordinate the efforts of the SUS, and the management of the pandemic contributed to tens of thousands of deaths that could have been avoided. The president, still in this context, showed a total lack of empathy with people who suffered from the death of loved ones by Covid-19.
“There was no advance in educational policy, which became guided by ideology, causing a setback in the learning of children and adolescents, particularly during the pandemic and especially among the most vulnerable.
“Public security policy was guided by stimulating the resolution of conflicts in an individual and violent way: access to firearms and ammunition by the population was extremely facilitated and an attempt was made to establish a safeguard for police to kill, with the attempt to approve the excluding illegality.
“In the economy, the federal budget was dismantled and expenditures were created to target groups of voters and specific interests months before the election – an affront to electoral institutions. Despite the rhetoric, there was a dismantling of the institutional capacity to fight corruption, and several complaints involving the current government, the president himself and his family members were not clarified.
“Finally, and even more importantly, the current president has made and continues to make repeated threats to democracy, attacking the judiciary, saying that he will not respect the results of the election and fostering a climate of profound instability and the real risk of institutional rupture.
“In spite of serious disagreements regarding policies implemented in the past by PT governments, we recognize in former President Lula the only leadership capable of defeating the biggest backwardness represented by the current government. Making it possible to win in the first round seems to us to be the most forceful, safe and effective response to protect democracy in Brazil, thus increasing the future government’s commitment to policies that unify the country. We voted for Lula in favor of uniting a broad spectrum of political forces in defense of democracy, in the hope that we can have a government for all Brazilians.
“Amanda from Albuquerque
“Bernard Herskovic
“Bernardo Silveira
“Bruno Giovannetti
“Carlos Góes
“Carolina Grottera
“Claudio Considers
“Claudio Ferraz
“Daniel Cerqueira
“Diana Moreira
“Dimitri Szerman
“Emanuel Ornelas
“Fernanda Estevan
“Filipe Campante
“Francisco Costa
“Gabriel Ulyssea
“Joana Monteiro
“Joana Naritomi
“João Ramos
“José Tavares de Araújo Jr.
“Laura Karpuska
“Laura Schiavon
“Marco Bonomo
“Marcos Ross Fernandes
“Mayara Felix
“Octavio de Barros
“Octavian Canuto
“Paula Pereda
“Paulo Correa
“Paulo Furquim de Azevedo
“Rafael Costa Lima
“Raphael Corbi
“Ricardo Dahis
“Rodrigo R. Soares
“Rudi Rocha
“Sergio Firpo
“Thomas Fujiwara
“Tiago Cavalcanti
“Affiliations
“FGV, George Washington University, Insper, Johns Hopkins University, London School of Economics, PUC-Rio, Princeton, UFF, UFPE, University of British Columbia, University of California – Davis, University of California – Los Angeles, University of California – San Diego, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Delaware, USP, UFJF, University of Southern California, Yale”
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