Lindberg: Levy must be removed or the policy changed.
Senator Lindberg Farias, from the Workers' Party (PT), forms a bloc in the Senate against the fiscal adjustment, with Paulo Paim (PT-RS), Roberto Requião (PMDB-PR), Randolfe Rodrigues (PSOL-AP), Lídice da Mata (PSB-BA), João Capiberibe (PSB-AP), Antonio Carlos Valadares (PSB-CE), Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF) and Hélio José (PSD-DF): "I want this government of President Dilma to succeed, but, to succeed, it is necessary to change this economic policy."
SÃO PAULO - After a brief respite with the approval of a large part of the first stage of fiscal adjustment in the Chamber of Deputies, the government risks suffering major defeats in the Senate, where Provisional Measures 664/14 and 665/14 are still to be voted on in plenary. As far as Senator Lindberg Farias (PT-RJ) is concerned, the proposals to alter social security and labor rights should be blocked in the Senate.
In an interview with journalist Tales Faria's blog on the iG portal, Lindberg stated that a group of more than ten congressmen was formed to block the political and economic project proposed by the Dilma Rousseff government. The congressman cited the names of Paulo Paim (PT-RS), Roberto Requião (PMDB-PR), Randolfe Rodrigues (PSOL-AP), Lídice da Mata (PSB-BA), João Capiberibe (PSB-AP), Antonio Carlos Valadares (PSB-CE), Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF), and Hélio José (PSD-DF) as participants in the group.
"I want President Dilma's government to succeed, but for it to succeed, this economic policy needs to change," he justified his potential opposition stance. In his assessment, the economic reorganization of the country cannot fall on the shoulders of Brazilian workers. The current economic crisis, says Lindberg, is mainly a result of large tax breaks for companies, increased interest rates, and other benefits to the financial market, and it is this segment that should be paying the price at this time.
The Workers' Party (PT) congressman also said that the objective of the informal group formed in the Senate is "to question the current economic policy" and did not rule out the possibility of pressing for the dismissal of Finance Minister Joaquim Levy. According to Lindberg, it would be necessary "either to remove Levy or change the policy," since, with the adjustments, the country "will consciously walk towards the precipice." The solution he advocates involves increasing investments, taxing large fortunes, dividends, and remittances of profits from large companies abroad.