Guedes's project is a grenade in the Brazilian's pocket, says Eduardo Moreira.

From Rede Brasil Atual – While other countries are making a U-turn in their economic policies, investing to save lives and jobs during the pandemic, President Jair Bolsonaro and his Economy Minister, Paulo Guedes, are doubling down on "neoliberalism." Several studies indicate that countries that acted to ensure social isolation registered smaller losses and better conditions to guarantee economic recovery.

That's what economists Eduardo Moreira and Grazielle David, who participated in the Lula Livre Digital Task Force, this Saturday (30), said. “Guedes shows where the insensitivity of someone who should be taking care of the house can go,” Moreira said.

Among the insensitivities, Moreira highlights the minister's statements during the government meeting on April 22nd, which came to light a few days ago. Guedes advocated privatizing Banco do Brasil, putting young Army soldiers to work building roads while receiving R$ 200, in addition to a "grenade" in the pockets of public servants, referring to the proposed salary freeze.

“Guedes wants to leave the entire financial system in the hands of the private sector, which received R$ 1 trillion and increased interest rates. During this entire crisis, have you heard any bank owner complain? Nothing. It's the only sector that doesn't generate wealth. Banks don't plant a single lettuce, they don't assemble a single chair. They are the road through which wealth passes. But in Brazil, the tollbooth owner takes everything in the back of the truck transporting that wealth,” Moreira stated.

According to him, it's time for the majority who disapprove of the Bolsonaro government to stop acting like a minority. He launched the hashtag #Somos70% (WeAre70%), which expresses indignation. He predicts that, given the poor distribution of wealth in the country, the economic effects of the pandemic will cause a "brutal" increase in hunger in the country. "The last hope is to overthrow Bolsonaro."

Beginning of the fall

For Grazielle, a specialist in public budgeting and health economics, the 1,5% drop in GDP recorded in the first quarter is just the beginning of a fall that could reach up to 10%, according to forecasts. In this scenario, she says, the Bolsonaro government's threats to reduce the value of the next installments of emergency aid put the population at risk.

“Any attempt to take away people's income and provide aid to businesses is irresponsible, shows a lack of commitment. It's actually murder, even, of people. Because it puts each of them in a dilemma that shouldn't exist,” said Grazielle, alluding to the supposed contradiction between saving lives or the economy.

The collective effort

The "Free Lula Digital Campaign" is a virtual initiative that aims to engage with the public about the risks to democracy, which have been present since the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff and are currently deepening during the Bolsonaro administration. Amidst this, there is the judicial persecution of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was illegally excluded from the last election.

The rallying cry is #AnulaSTF (Annul the Supreme Court ruling), urging the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to begin the trial regarding the alleged bias of then-judge Sergio Moro. There is a wealth of evidence and indications, including dialogues published by The Intercept Brasil, demonstrating that the law was distorted and used as a political weapon to try to remove Lula from the Brazilian political scene.

TVT and Brasil de Fato participated in the joint effort, along with more than 70 other pages in simultaneous transmission.