Marcio Pochmann is appointed president of IBGE – 08/08/2023 – Market

The Lula government (PT) made official this Tuesday (8) the appointment of economist Marcio Pochmann to head the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). The nomination was published in the Official Gazette of the Union.

The decision to choose the PT-affiliated economist was taken amid resistance from a wing of the Ministry of Planning, which houses the body.

However, the economist was announced after Minister Simone Tebet (Planning) told interlocutors interviewed by the Sheet that it would not impose obstacles to the nomination. In her view, there is no risk of political interference in the institution given the diagnosis that the body is technical and “walks alone”.

The nomination had strong repercussions, which led President Lula to come out in defense of the economist.

The petista said that “it is not acceptable that people try to create a negative image” of his choice to head the research body.

“He is one of the great intellectuals in this country. He is an extremely prepared young man. I chose this young man because I trust his intellectual capacity, he is an excellent researcher. Now some people who possibly wanted to go there are doubting Pochmann’s suitability “, he stated.