Alckmin endorses Lula’s speech on the need to lower interest rates for the economy

The Vice President of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin (PSB), said this Wednesday (15) that it is necessary to lower interest rates to make the economy grow, endorsing President Lula’s speech, which has criticized the Central Bank’s monetary policy . Currently, the Selic rate is 13.75% per year.

“We have 2% of the world’s GDP, 98% of trade is outside Brazil. We have to take advantage of every opportunity to create jobs to grow the economy and lower interest rates. That [baixar os juros] it is very important to be able to attract more investment and make the economy grow more”, said Alckmin after a meeting at the Itamaraty Palace.

Other ministers participated in the meeting of the Sino-Brazilian Commission of High Level of Concertation and Cooperation (Cosban), which deals with relations between Brazil and China, which is chaired by the vice-president.

Asked about the Uruguayan government’s negotiations with China for a trade agreement, which could harm Mercosur, Alckmin stressed the importance of strengthening regional trade. According to him, the world is globalized, but trade is very intraregional.

“In the European Union, more than 70% of trade is there. If you take the United States, Mexico and Canada, over 60% of trade takes place there. When you come to Latin America it’s less than 30%. So, the first task is to strengthen regional trade. We need to strengthen trade relations here, take advantage of all opportunities in our own region.” Alckmin also recalled that the most advanced agreement between regions is between Mercosur and the European Union.

“But there is no doubt that there are many opportunities for understanding between Mercosur and the United States, China, other trade agreements. President Lula will reinsert Brazil into world trade and this will bring many opportunities for Brazil,” he said.

According to the vice-president, a new Cosban meeting will take place on the 27th, when the ministries should present their specific guidelines for improving Brazil’s trade relations with China.

ukraine war

Alckmin endorsed Lula’s idea of ​​creating a kind of new G20, a group of countries that could intercede for a solution to Russia’s war against Ukraine.

“I think President Lula is absolutely correct. We need to promote peace, this is step by step. So, the articulation even with countries that are not directly involved in the conflict and war is important, and Brazil, which is a country that does not have litigation and has a history of working for peace and has the leadership of President Lula, can, yes, to make a difference in this work and in this dialogue.”