Former Goiás governor Ronaldo Caiado, the PSD party's presidential candidate, was interviewed by TV Globo on Tuesday night (25) at the network's studios in Rio de Janeiro. In the sit-down with journalists Renata Vasconcellos and César Tralli, Caiado defended amnesty for those convicted over the January 8, 2023 attacks on Brazil's seats of power, a fiscal adjustment through a constitutional amendment and the creation of a South American police force. He was the second candidate interviewed in Globo's series with six presidential hopefuls, according to G1 and BBC News Brasil.
In the first segment, Caiado promised to send Congress a bill granting amnesty to those convicted of attempting a coup on January 8, a group that includes former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who was convicted and jailed in the case. "We need to end this polarization, we have to pacify the country. Nobody can stand this situation anymore", he said.
"I will send the National Congress a bill so that there is a broad, general amnesty. In the same way, in a special way, the Supreme Court granted an amnesty to former president Lula", Caiado said.
The comparison does not match what the Supreme Court actually decided. As G1 and the BBC pointed out, the court annulled Lula's convictions in the Car Wash investigation after finding that the federal court in Curitiba lacked jurisdiction over the cases and that then-judge Sergio Moro had acted with bias. There was no amnesty.
Fiscal adjustment and spending cuts
Caiado said he would send Congress, on his first day in office, a constitutional amendment capping the growth of federal spending at inflation plus 50% of GDP growth. Asked about the math behind the proposal, he asked for patience: "A patient was run over by a bus. Which points do you prioritize? I haven't even examined the patient. Calm down." The candidate called the current fiscal framework "a big sham" and defended an administrative reform cutting costs across all branches of government. "I will work on the administrative reform, with cuts not only in the Executive, but also in the Legislative, the Judiciary, the federal audit court, in every agency", he said, citing "extortionate salaries" and funds diverted from congressional budget earmarks as targets.
South American police and pensions
On public security, Caiado defended creating Sulpol, a joint police force made up of South American countries and modeled on Europol. "Brazil is a Disneyland for drug trafficking", he said. Under the proposal, officers from other countries could operate on Brazilian soil in cases involving smuggling, weapons, money laundering and drugs. Asked whether he would authorize United States operations in Brazil, he answered: "I have no reason to authorize them. What for, if we are going to handle it among ourselves here. We are ten countries." The US government announced anti-drug actions in Latin America in recent weeks, and the Lula administration is concerned about possible American operations on Brazilian soil, the BBC reported.
Caiado also said he would carry out a pension reform, but did not answer whether he would change the minimum retirement age. On taxes, he said he would "revisit" the tax reform, which he attributed to economist Bernard Appy, and defended lowering the burden for self-employed workers and micro-entrepreneurs. He criticized the estimated 28% rate for the new value-added tax and the Selective Tax, which he called a "sin tax". At the end of the interview, he appealed to the Supreme Court to lift the secrecy of investigations into fraud at the INSS, the social security agency, the Master case and Operation Carbono Oculto, probes that, according to G1, could affect the campaigns of Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro.
Globo's interview series continues on Thursday (27) with President Lula (PT). Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) and Augusto Cury (Avante) will be interviewed in the coming days. Caiado's main proposals, such as the amnesty and the spending-cap amendment, would need Congressional approval if he is elected in October.