Finance Minister Dario Durigan stated that high interest rates in Brazil are not a consequence of the fiscal policy adopted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's government. This was in an interview on the program... Live Wheel, shown this Monday (4), he defended the use of specific public policies, such as the Desenrola program, to stimulate the economy and face specific crises.
"I don't think fiscal policy is the reason for the high interest rates in the country," the minister stated, refuting criticism about a possible excess of economic stimulus. According to him, recent history shows that interest rates have been reduced even during periods with weaker fiscal results.
Durigan argued that external factors, such as inflationary pressure caused by international conflicts, have a greater influence on the behavior of the benchmark interest rate. He cited, for example, the war involving Iran as an element that hinders a more rapid drop in the Selic rate.
Localized policies and crisis response
The minister also advocated for the adoption of policies targeted at specific sectors of the economy, as a way to avoid broader impacts. Examples cited included measures adopted after the floods in Rio Grande do Sul and actions related to the trade war with the United States.
According to him, these initiatives seek to contain localized negative effects and prevent isolated crises from turning into structural problems.
"We are not in a tax haven scenario," he said, acknowledging that there are still economic challenges, but stressed that the government has been making efforts to maintain economic activity.
Bet on Desenrola
Durigan also highlighted the role of the Desenrola program, focused on debt renegotiation, as a tool to improve the financial conditions of the population and stimulate consumption.
The minister stated that he expects the effects of the new phase of the program to be felt in conjunction with a drop in interest rates, just as happened after the launch of the first version in 2023.
According to him, the government incorporated lessons learned from the previous phase, including changes to facilitate access to the platform and allow financial institutions to directly seek out debtors.
Another innovation mentioned was the possibility of restricting gambling expenses for people who join the program, as a way to encourage financial balance.
Challenges and economic landscape
Durigan stressed that there is no single solution to the country's fiscal challenges and that it is necessary to combine different strategies to improve economic conditions.
He also warned of the risk of increased default rates, associated with the resumption of rising interest rates in 2024, and reinforced the importance of public policies to prevent this scenario from worsening.
In defending the continuation of economic measures, the minister stated that the government's objective is to improve the population's quality of life and prevent social setbacks.
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