President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers' Party, PT), who is running for reelection, was interviewed on Thursday (27) by journalists Renata Vasconcellos and César Tralli at Globo's studios in Rio de Janeiro. The interview aired live right after Jornal Nacional, the network's flagship newscast, and was the fourth in a series with the six best-placed candidates in the Quaest poll released on August 14, according to G1.
Lulinha and Marcola
Asked about Federal Police investigations into suspected corruption and influence peddling involving his son Fábio Luiz Lula da Silva, known as Lulinha, Lula said he will not interfere. "I will not remove any Federal Police officer, I will not make any move on behalf of my son," he said. "If Fábio committed any offense, he will have to pay like any Brazilian citizen." The president called the accusations against his son "conjecture" and said he is sure he will be cleared. "There will not be a millimeter of movement from the Presidency to protect my son."
Lula was also asked about payments made by lobbyist Roberta Luchsinger to Marco Aurélio Ribeiro, known as Marcola, a former chief of staff at the Presidency. "It is not appropriate, it is totally wrong. And Marcola knows the mistake he made, because that is not the role of a chief of staff," he said. The president called the lobbyist a "crook," said he does not know her and argued that the messages obtained by police do not prove a crime. "What we need to know is this: did this woman manage to release the money she said she was after? Is there proof of public money? Because that is where the crime is," he said, according to G1. As reported by Estadão, he summed it up: "He was someone I fully trusted, he made the mistake, he pays the price."
On the fraud scheme at INSS, the federal agency that pays pensions and benefits, Lula said his government acted to punish those responsible and reimburse retirees and pensioners. "We made a point of putting those people in jail, we made a point of paying what was owed," he said, according to Estadão. Asked about the Banco Master case and Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), the president said there is a "more serious" case that is being "silenced," without elaborating.
Public accounts and the postal service
On the economy, asked whether he plans to cut mandatory spending, as Finance Minister Dário Durigan advocates, Lula did not specify any expenses and guaranteed the country will post a surplus. "The deficit was 2.8%. The last one was 0.8% and now it will be positive. We will have a surplus," he said. He said he wants a "technological revolution" in an eventual new term, with investment in artificial intelligence, critical minerals, rare earths and defense. "I have already ended hunger twice. That is why I am seeking a fourth term."
Lula also ruled out privatizing Correios, the state postal company, which has posted four straight years of losses and a record shortfall of R$ 15 billion. "I do not consider selling Correios, I do not. I want to recover Correios," he said, while acknowledging the company "did not adapt to a new era." According to G1, the candidate also addressed the growth of organized crime in recent decades and the quality of high school education.
Globo's interview series continues on Friday (28) with Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and ends on Saturday (29) with Augusto Cury. The first round of the presidential election is scheduled for October 4.