Zeca Dirceu warns of the damage caused by privatizing national assets.

247 - Following the announcement this week of the handover of part of the electricity sector through the sale of Eletrobras power plants, federal deputy Zeca Dirceu (PT-PR) highlighted that the usurper government of Temer (PMDB/PSDB) is following the same old, outdated, and submissive formula of Fernando Henrique Cardoso's government in auctioning off public companies. According to the deputy, handing over the country's electricity sector is an affront to national sovereignty.

"This announcement is yet another criminal act by Temer, along with a political class that today has no credibility whatsoever with the population, and wants to return to the formula already tested during the time of FHC and the PSDB, which is to carry out obscure privatizations, surrounded by privileges, favors and cases of corruption, and hand over Brazilian assets to state-owned companies that are important in relation to national sovereignty at bargain-basement prices," stated Zeca Dirceu.

Furthermore, the Eletrobras employees' association also spoke out against the privatization of the state-owned electricity company, warning that there will be resistance to the sale of its assets. The organization highlighted that the proposal will devalue the investments made in the public company and also risks increasing electricity tariffs in the country.

Congressman Zeca Dirceu also emphasized that his position is against Temer's sell-out policy, which already yielded terrible results during the FHC era in the 90s, and he will not allow a new dismantling to take place now. "My position is already totally against this privatization, firstly because this current government is illegitimate, lacks morals and credibility, and is surrounded by corruption allegations. Eletrobras is vital for national security, for the economy and growth of any country in the world, therefore handing it over to foreign investors is shooting ourselves in the foot," he justified.

More privatizations
Last week, Temer also announced 57 concession and privatization projects for Brazilian state-owned companies, demonstrating that the current administration is in a hurry to hand over everything it can while in power. Besides the sale of a large part of Eletrobras, the list includes the Mint, 14 airports, including Congonhas, 11 blocks of electric power transmission lines, 15 port terminals, highways, the Espírito Santo Port Authority, Casemg, and CeasaMinas.

Economists warn of the problems and hidden intentions behind these measures, which are more focused on market interests than on those of the population. “We will need a lot of reinforcement and a lot of popular mobilization and pressure to block this proposal against the dismantling of the electricity sector. We will not allow state-owned companies to be used to plug a hole in the government's accounts, which is the result of incompetence, and has shown itself capable of spending 13 billion reais in one week on buying parliamentary support to escape an accusation of corruption. The government needs to balance its accounts, but not with the country's assets,” he stated.