Lula says that PT had a surplus every year, but Dilma had a deficit

Government has been in the red since 2014, when PT was still President of the Republic

Former president and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (EN) said this Friday (16.Sep.2022) that the 14 years of his party at the helm of Palácio do Planalto were a surplus. The statement was made during a rally held in Porto Alegre (RS).

The period includes the last 2 years of Dilma Rousseff (PT) at the head of the Executive, when in fact the government had a deficit.

The Brazilian government’s accounts have been in the red every year since 2014. Dilma Rousseff ruled until mid-2016, when she was deposed by an impeachment process.

“Some people say, ‘Oh Lula, you need to talk to the financial system, the financial system wants to talk to you’”said the PT candidate.

“I keep thinking ‘what does the financial system want to talk to me about?’ At the very least, he wants to ask me to keep the spending cap, and I’m not going to keep the spending cap, I’m going to end the spending cap.”he declared.

According to Lula, this type of rule is not necessary for a president to have fiscal responsibility.

“Dilma and I ruled for 14 years and we had a surplus every year”, said Lula. The central government had a deficit of 0.4% of GDP in 2014 and 2% in 2015, the last 2 full years of Dilma in the Planalto. Here are the numbers:

The former president was present at the rally and spoke. Dilma has participated in some campaign commitments of the co-religionist.

On this 6th, the former president evoked Leonel Brizola (1922-2004), historical figure of the PDT, in a veiled criticism of the attacks by Ciro Gomes, also candidate for president, against Lula.

The PT runs a “useful vote” campaign to attract Ciro voters. If he succeeds, Lula has a chance of winning the dispute with the president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) still in the 1st round.

In addition to the candidate and Dilma Rousseff, politicians spoke during the act as:

• Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP) – senator and member of Lula’s campaign nucleus;
• Manuela d’Ávila (PC do B-RS) – former federal deputy and candidate for vice president of the Republic in 2018;
• Gleisi Hoffmann (PT-PR) – federal deputy and party president;
• Paulo Paim (PT-RS) – senator;
• Tarsus-in-law (PT-RS) – former governor and former minister;
• Pedro Ruas (Psol-RS) – candidate for vice governor on the PT ticket;
• Olívio Dutra (PT-RS) – former governor and candidate for senator;
• Edegar Black (PT-RS) – state deputy and candidate for governor.

Lula is traveling through southern Brazil, where he promotes his own candidacy and that of local allies. On Saturday (September 17), she will be in Curitiba (PR). The next day, in Florianópolis (SC).

the last search PowerDate, with data collected from September 11 to 13, shows Lula with 43% of voting intentions for the 1st round. Bolsonaro has 37%.

In the South, however, both are tied in the margin of error, with Bolsonaro numerically ahead.