Lula announces PAC in MG amid the dispute between Zema and Pacheco

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) was in Belo Horizonte this Thursday (8) to announce an investment of R$ 121.4 billion from the Novo PAC in Minas Gerais, in a ceremony that placed him alongside governor Romeu Zema (Novo ) and senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD) on the same stage.

Zema and Pacheco compete over who will be able to find a solution to the state’s billion-dollar debt with the federal government, with the current governor articulating his own proposal in the Legislative Assembly while Pacheco proposes the federalization of some state-owned companies. Lula has already committed to supporting him in the succession of the Minas Gerais government in 2026.

Lula and Zema are also political opponents, as the Minas Gerais supporter of the re-election of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in 2022. Despite this, the president minimized the difference.

“I don’t want to share anything. I’m talking to the state government that was elected by the same people who elected me, by the same ballot box that elected me. I will never ask a governor or mayor to like me more or less”, he said amid criticism of the former president, remembering that he had to approve the ceiling-breaking PEC to start the government to “pay debts” left behind.

The difference was also left aside by Zema, who preached a “good coexistence without extremism” and that “criticism is natural”.

“People think differently and we, governments, have to learn to live with these differences. Good coexistence without extremism is what will make the lives of miners better”, commented Zema. However, he was the target of some boos for opposing the mandatory vaccination of children against Covid-19.

A little earlier, Lula announced that the amount to be invested in Minas Gerais will be R$36 billion in Minas Gerais territory alone and the remainder together with other states. Minister Rui Costa, from the Civil House, detailed that the energy, highways and railways sectors will concentrate R$108.3 billion of the R$121.4 billion.

Costa also announced that more resources can be allocated to the state after Carnival, when the PAC Seleções projects will be announced among the more than 4,200 sent to the government by city halls. The minister stated that not all of them will be able to be included in the federal budget, but that the government will forward the list to congressmen, so that they can allocate resources through amendments.