The Brazilian government's reaction to criticism of Pix by US President Donald Trump has taken on a new political dimension. Members of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's campaign intend to make defending the instant payment system one of their main electoral platforms for the 2026 election.
According to information from the Painel column, from FSPThe strategy is to draw a parallel between the mobilization in defense of Pix (Brazil's instant payment system) and the campaign carried out in favor of electronic voting machines during the 2022 elections. Allies of the president believe that both represent national technologies that have become the target of questioning and, therefore, could awaken a sense of protection among Brazilians.
On Tuesday (2), Lula reinforced this message during an event in Catalão, Goiás, by displaying a poster with the phrase “Pix is ours”. The initiative refers to historical campaigns to value national symbols and signals the tone that the government intends to adopt in the coming months.
Pix becomes a political issue.
The move comes after statements by US President Donald Trump involving the Brazilian payment system. The topic has been used by members of the Workers' Party (PT) as an example of the country's technological capabilities and the need to defend initiatives considered strategic for the national economy.
According to the PT's Secretary of Communication, Eden Valadares, Pix has reached a rare level of popularity among different sectors of society.
"Pix is a national consensus, uniting everyone from the parking attendant to the exporting businessman," he stated.
Behind the scenes, PT (Workers' Party) leaders believe that the instant payment system has the potential to become one of the main symbols of the government's campaign.
The system was created during the Bolsonaro administration.
The political debate surrounding Pix has a unique aspect. The system was developed by the Central Bank and launched in November 2020, during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
During the 2022 election campaign, Bolsonaro highlighted Pix as one of his administration's achievements. The government program presented that year cited the system as an instrument capable of expanding financial inclusion and facilitating cost-free transactions for the population.
Now, the topic reappears from another perspective, driven by discussions involving the United States' trade policy and its repercussions on Brazil.
Dispute of narratives
Behind the scenes in politics, the assessment is that Pix could become yet another element in the battle of narratives between government supporters and Bolsonaro supporters.
Lula's allies argue that the system represents a Brazilian technological advancement and defend its protection against external scrutiny. Opposition members, however, point out that the tool was created and implemented during Bolsonaro's administration.
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