Bolsonaro proposes new pension system in message to Congress

In a special message sent to Congress Monday (Jan. 4), Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that the great shift towards a new landscape for the country will be brought about by the bill for a new pension system in Brazil.

“We are conceiving a modern and fraternal proposal which combines actuarial balance with support for those who need it the most, separating ‘social security’ from ‘assistance,’ as it fights fraud and privileges,” the message reads. The text was read at the beginning of legislative proceedings.

The new pension system brought forward by the government includes an “Individual Retirement Savings Account”—an initiative “that seeks to raise the country’s savings rate, creating the conditions to increase investment and the pace of growth,” the presidential message says.

“It is a consistent path towards freeing the country from international capital. By transforming the pension system, we start a huge change in Brazil. Confidence rises, business flows, employment increases. And a virtuous circle is initiated in the economy. Make no mistake about it! This is a task to be taken up by the government, Parliament, and all Brazilians,” President Bolsonaro wrote in the missive.

Organized crime

The head of state also pointed out the Brazilian government has declared war on organized crime. “A moral war, a legal war, a war with combats. We are not sorry for, or afraid of, criminals. May the guarantees of the law be granted to them, and may such laws be more strict. Our government is already working in that direction.”

To his judgment, the more vulnerable people were the ones who suffered most from the degradation of security. “Women, children, poor, and black people were the object of discourse, but not of consistent protective policies. We will not rest until Brazil becomes a safer country, where people may live in peace with their families,” he added.

The federal government will propose to the Legislative branch that the most violent criminal organization be identified and named in the legislation. The move, advocated by Minister of Justice and Public Security Sergio Moro, is part of the Anti-Crime bill the presidential palace is expected to submit to Congress soon.

Opportunities

“Brazil is once again being regarded by the world as a safe place to invest in, full of opportunities. And more: our entrepreneurs are starting to restore their courage to generate employment and income. Confidence levels have improved, the investment rate is no longer declining, job posts were once again created and families’ real income started to show signs of improvement,” Bolsonaro says in his message.

Addressing Congress members, he noted he rejects “the models that subdue the Legislative branch and the other branches—be it through corruption, ideology, or both. We also reject persecution against the opposition, whom we ask merely to respect the country and to fulfill its role with dignity.”

“A country is only free if its Parliament is free. If it respects and protects the Constitution. And a country is only developed if its Parliament has committed to evolution,  transformation, and progress. It is time for us to evolve together—both politically and institutionally. It is the least each one of us—the repositories of hope—owes the Brazilian people,” the president stated.