Ciro Nogueira accuses the government of “treason” for the possibility of not closing the deficit in 2024

Senator Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI) accused the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) of “treason with Brazil” for admitting the possibility that it should not fulfill its promise to bring the public account deficit to zero in 2024.

In a note published on Tuesday (31), the senator states that the government chose “tortuous paths”, questioning the Executive’s fiscal seriousness. Ciro Nogueira mentioned the promulgation of the Fiscal Framework Law which, after just two months, the President of the Republic “publicly discredited” without prior discussion with Congress.

“Both the Chamber and the Senate believed in the fiscal seriousness presented by the Government when processing the new Fiscal Framework”, he said.

The Fiscal Framework Law had been approved, he says, with a clause that decriminalized non-compliance with the fiscal target. However, the senator emphasized that this did not mean a blank check for the Executive to disregard fiscal targets in an arbitrary manner, classifying this attitude as a lack of fiscal responsibility and a bad example for local governments.

Ciro Nogueira also highlighted that the Minister of Finance, who previously criticized the spending cap, is now not fulfilling the commitment made during the approval of the new Fiscal Framework. Non-compliance with the fiscal targets proposed by the government itself raises doubts about the conduct of the country’s fiscal policy.

“Not meeting the fiscal target, which the Government itself proposed, in addition to disrespecting the two Legislative Houses that discussed and approved the fiscal framework, is also casting doubt on the conduct of the country’s fiscal policy. This is very serious”, he highlighted.

The senator also criticized the government for communicating the change in fiscal targets to the press instead of addressing the issue in Congress, stating that there was a lack of respect for legislative action. He expressed indignation and accused the government of betraying the population when it needs support from Congress and when it believes it no longer needs it.

The criticism from the senator, who also presides over the party, comes at a time when the party joined the government base with the appointment of federal deputy André Fufuca (PP-MA) to command the Ministry of Sports and economist Carlos Antônio Vieira Fernandes to the presidency of Caixa Econômica Federal, last month.

Fernandes was nominated by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), for the party to vote with the government in the Legislature.

Minister Fernando Haddad, of Finance, tried to calm the financial market on Monday (30) saying there is no “discommitment” from the president with the situation of public accounts, after Lula stated, last week, that “hardly” the zero primary result will be achieved.

“Particularly because I don’t want to make cuts in investments. I’m not going to set a fiscal target that forces me to start the year by cutting billions in construction work”, explained Lula.

Haddad responded by saying that his role is “to seek fiscal balance because I believe that Brazil needs to look at public accounts again. I will seek fiscal balance in all fair and necessary ways. My goal is maintained.”