Rousseff pledges focus on curbing inflation and preserving social programs

In a message sent Monday (Feb 2) to the National Congress at the beginning of the legislative year, President Dilma Rousseff examined the country's present economic situation, mentioning the measures being implemented by the government. She said that curbing the inflation will be a priority in her macro-economic agenda, and guaranteed that the government will preserve all of its social programs, such as  the Family Allowance, My House My Life, More Doctors, Science Without Borders, and the National Program for the Access to Technical Education and Employment (Pronatec). “The raison d’être of the responsible and consistent economic policy is to stimulate growth and provide the means for carrying out the policies that improve the population's welfare,” the president said in her statement.

Rousseff says the government absorbed most of the changes in the economy and the weather in its fiscal accounts in order to keep up employment and income, but she believes it has reached the limit. “We're facing the need to achieve fiscal rebalance to recover the growth of the economy as quickly as possible, by creating the conditions for cutting down inflation and the interest rate in the medium run, thus maintaining job generation and income.”

The president further highlighted the increase in energy capacity and transmission, as well as the inclusion of alternative and clean sources, such as solar and wind power. “This shows that we're making the necessary investments to ensure the energy supply at the levels required for the growth of the country,” she pointed out. Rousseff reiterated the government's willingness to help the state of São Paulo in works aimed at its water supply issue. “The same willingness holds true for all other states, especially in the southeast, which has been strongly affected by the severest drought spell seen in the past eight decades.”

Another strategy to be submitted to Congress, according to the president, is the proposal of a constitutional amendment to turn public security into a common activity in every state. She also mentioned that the government will take action to fight corruption and impunity in the country, and support the political reform.

Dilma Rousseff also urged congressmen to help approve the proposal to continue the policy to increase the minimum wage—which she described as instrumental in inequality reduction in Brazil.

“Redressing inequalities, eliminating poverty and expanding social rights are key marks of my administration; we can never afford to do without them. Adjustments are part and parcel with the economic policy, and also with companies, and people. Adjustments are not an end in themselves, they're necessary measures for achieving the a goal in the medium run, which in our case remains the same: economic growth and social inclusion. We will not bring about recession, or a relapse,” the president's message read.

The text sent by the president to Congress members was handed over by Chief of Staff Aloizio Mercadante.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira