BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday he is confident the new fiscal framework will be approved by congress as his government builds a new political chapter in the country’s history.
In a speech marking his 100th day in office, Lula said he still thinks interest rates are “too high” and hinder economic growth, but he is sure congress will approve the long-awaited new fiscal framework.
The leftist leader, who is serving his third term as president, also commented on the Jan 8 riots in which supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in Brasilia seeking to provoke a military coup just days after Lula’s inauguration.
“The far-right didn’t want to leave power,” Lula said. “We’re building a new chapter in the history of Brazil, my optimism is not exaggerated.”
Lula said Brazil will soon launch tenders for solar and wind energy and that he will not miss the opportunity to turn Latin America’s largest country into a green hydrogen powerhouse.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Steven Grattan)
