The PT candidate for the government of Minas, Patrus Ananias, defended, in an interview with MG1 this Wednesday (16), the review of tax exemptions granted by the state. He also said that he will seek to renegotiate the debt with the Union and extend the payment period for another ten years. Patrus also committed to paying the servers on time.
He is the third to participate in the series of MG1 hearings, which will continue until next Saturday (19). Globo invited the six best placed candidates in the voting intention survey released by the Datafolha Institute on September 11th.
Asked about the developments in the investigations involving members of the Judiciary and politicians from different parties, Patrus Ananias stated that he is following the national scenario, but said that his priority at the moment is the campaign for the government of Minas Gerais.
The candidate assessed that the country is going through an important and challenging moment, but considered that any judgments must be made based on the facts and respecting due legal process.
"I consider that we are really living in Brazil at an important moment with the actions of the Federal Supreme Court (STF). It is also a delicate, challenging moment."
Patrus said that he has concentrated his efforts on traveling around the state and in dialogue with the population of Minas Gerais to build his government plan, while monitoring events in Brasília.
"My priority at this moment is my campaign to win the elections and govern Minas Gerais well. (...) Of course, I don't stay away, I don't alienate myself from the events in Brasília. I follow, but I also learned, as a lawyer and law professor, to pass judgments on facts that we are aware of. And that the sentence can only be given after due legal process."
Asked about having been announced as a candidate for the government of Minas Gerais only at the end of July, after other names were considered by the PT for the dispute, Patrus denied that the delay had harmed his campaign.
"I've always dreamed, I've always had a deep commitment to the state of Minas Gerais, to our people. And the possibility of governing within ethical, democratic, social principles, the commitment to the most impoverished, to the development of our state has always been present in my heart."
The candidate said that he did not participate in the internal dispute initially because there were other names put forward for state succession and that he followed the party's discussions.
According to him, his initial intention was to seek to remain in the Chamber of Deputies, but the political scenario changed after the withdrawal of other pre-candidates mentioned by the party.
"There were other names put forward, I was following when the perspective opened. I accepted and welcomed it with great joy and I am carrying out this campaign, as I said and reiterate, with a very warm heart and with a lot of conviction that we can win and govern Minas Gerais, as we did in the city hall of Belo Horizonte, in the Ministry of Social Development and Combating Hunger and on other fronts", he stated.
Asked about the salary delays recorded during the Fernando Pimentel (PT) government, Patrus Ananias stated that, if elected, he will keep state employees' payments up to date. The candidate highlighted the party's commitment to public services and said that he intends to value professionals who work in areas such as education, health, security and culture.
"I make a commitment to civil servants in the state of Minas Gerais that their remuneration will be paid with dignity, on the right days."
Patrus avoided evaluating Pimentel's management and highlighted his personal relationship with the former governor. According to him, he was responsible for his own political trajectory and highlighted that he had not been the target of complaints or lawsuits throughout his public life.
"I have a personal relationship with Fernando Pimentel [...]. I don't answer for other people. I answer for myself."
When asked about the delays in transfers to municipalities during the PT government and about the distrust of mayors in relation to a possible new PT management, the candidate stated that he intends to adopt an administration guided by fiscal transparency and the negotiation of the state's debt with the Union.
Asked about the possibility of reviewing the terms of the State Debt Payment Program (Propag), Patrus stated that, if elected, he intends to negotiate with the federal government the extension of the debt payment period for Minas Gerais. The candidate said he does not advocate non-compliance with commitments made by the state, but considers it necessary to create conditions to increase investments in areas such as health, education and public security.
"We will fulfill the commitment, but I will propose to the federal government that we extend it. [...] We will immediately propose extending it for another 10 years. Now, of course this will be negotiated with the federal government, but the Minas government's stance will be to extend this debt so that we can also correctly pay off the social debt, health, education, public security that we have today."
When asked about the risks of extending the payment period and, consequently, maintaining the debt for longer, the candidate stated that any changes would need to be discussed with the Union and advisors from the economic area. Patrus said that the intention is to seek more favorable conditions for the state, including extending deadlines and reducing interest rates.
"Everything is negotiated. We will negotiate calmly. We want the best for the state of Minas. Of course, I will also be advised by competent people, economists and I will, yes, have the good will of President Lula. Of course we want to extend the deadline, reduce interest rates, right? We will fight for this. Negotiation is negotiation", he said.
Patrus associated debt renegotiation with the need to expand public service provision. The candidate stated that Minas Gerais faces challenges in the areas of education, health and security and defended more investments to tackle problems such as violence and feminicide, in addition to strengthening the security forces and the structure of assistance to the population.
"We have to resume the state of Minas Gerais, the development of the state, including to generate more income."
Asked about the proposal to reevaluate environmental licenses and incentives granted to the mineral sector, Patrus Ananias (PT) defended the construction of policies through dialogue between government, companies, workers and civil society. According to him, economic development must be compatible with environmental preservation.
The candidate stated that companies with greater financial capacity, including those in the mining sector, can contribute more through taxation to finance public policies and environmental protection actions.
"Those companies that can pay more, including the mining sector, should pay more until we have the resources to face environmental challenges."
Patrus said he intends to stimulate regional development and take advantage of the economic potential of activities such as mining, agriculture, industry, commerce and tourism. At the same time, he defended the adoption of measures aimed at social inclusion and the preservation of natural resources.
"The great challenge of public life is exactly this: seeking a meeting of interests that are often conflicting and the search for synthesis, the meeting of these interests and these different possibilities."
