Lula promises fiscal stability and warns about risk to democracy in meeting with businesspeople in São Paulo

Lula at an event with businesspeople in São Paulo, this Friday (25). — Photo: Reproduction

President and re-election candidate Lula (PT) promised to maintain the country's fiscal stability in a possible new term and said that democracy is at stake in the elections. “It’s the democratic regime or barbarism”, he stated on Friday night (25), during a meeting with businesspeople, members of the government and representatives of different sectors of the economy, in São Paulo.

"It's not a small matter at stake. Either you vote for someone who is Brazilian and who likes this country, or you will vote for someone who will kiss the American flag every day", he said, in reference to presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro (PL). "What do you think will happen to our riches, which we still don't know all about, called rare earths and critical minerals? Because the Americans are dying to get their hands on it," he said.

"You know that Trump is betting that he will own Latin America. That's his bet, more Marco Rubio's than his," he said.

Lula also adopted a joking tone when talking about the electoral dispute. "You see who the candidates are. I don't need to speak ill of anyone. You know how many have the capacity to govern the country. I am the only president who has been governing for 12 years. What is the question?", he asked.

"If you were in doubt between me and a genius. But you are not making that choice", added Lula.

The event was organized by Instituto Esfera and Grupo Prerrogativas. According to lawyer Marco Aurélio de Carvalho, founder of Prerrogativas and one of the coordinators of Lula's re-election campaign, 744 people participated in the meeting.

Carvalho organized the event alongside Márcio Elias Rosa, Minister of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade.

Lula (PT) in a meeting with businesspeople in São Paulo, this Friday (25). — Photo: Disclosure/Esfera Brasil

Among the businesspeople present were Joesley Batista, one of the founders of JBS, and Gustavo Pimenta, president of Vale. Companies such as iFood, Uber, Petz, Magazine Luiza, Philip Morris, Acciona and Unisa sent representatives. Members of Febraban and executives from the education, pharmaceutical and port sectors also participated.

Lula was accompanied by vice-president Geraldo Alckmin; the chief minister of the Social Communication Secretariat, Sidônio Palmeira; the Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan; the Minister of Innovation, Esther Dweck; the Minister of the Civil House, Miriam Belchior; and the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha.

Also at the event were the Union's attorney general, Jorge Messias; the Minister of the General Comptroller of the Union, Vinicius de Carvalho; the president of PT, Edinho Silva; and the candidates for the Senate for São Paulo Marina Silva (Rede) and Simone Tebet (PSB).

Before Lula, the president of Banco do Brasil, Tarciana Medeiros, the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante, and Durigan spoke.

Earlier, also in São Paulo, Lula announced a provisional measure to ban betting in Brazil. The measure, announced nine days before the elections, was formalized in an MP signed by the president and published in an extra edition of this Friday's Official Gazette.

At the event with businesspeople, Durigan once again defended the measure during a speech about institutionality and the government's plans.

Lula's agenda in São Paulo occurred amid the dispute for female voters and the attempt to reach out to sectors of the business community.

Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) appear technically tied in voting intention polls, and the PL candidate has been expanding his space among women.

In announcing the ban on betting, Lula and members of the government highlighted the impacts of betting on women. The segment is one of the focuses of the dispute between the two main candidates. The opposition classifies the measure as electoral.

After the announcement, Lula went to meet with businesspeople, lawyers and representatives of sectors of the economy.

The event was also part of the president's attempt to maintain dialogue with the business community during the campaign. Behind the scenes, the absence of some guests was attributed to resistance to Lula's re-election.

Former governor of São Paulo João Doria, who was among the guests, did not participate in the meeting. According to the businessman, the absence occurred because he does not support the president's re-election.