Rousseff claims to be "appalled" at IMF forecast for Brazil's economy

President Dilma Rousseff said Friday (Jan. 22) that she was "appalled" at the worse forecasts of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the Brazilian economy. During a meeting of the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) convention today (Jan. 22) in Brasília, she said the country will resume growth, because "we have solid foundations for this."

"I am appalled at the International Monetary Fund report, we know that the IMF talks a lot," she stated. This week the IMF released a report with forecasts for the global economy. For Brazil, the organization estimated a larger drop in the gross domestic product (GDP), from 1% to 3.5%.

According to the president, the IMF recognized that Brazil's plight was not only caused by the economy. "There were two factors: the long political instability and Petrobras investigations lasting for a longer period and being deeper than expected. These are the main factors that forced the Monetary Fund to review their stance on Brazil's growth."

For Rousseff, investments will be attracted back to the country and Brazil will resume growth and will not interrupt the social inclusion process, and that education will continue to be the central issue of her government.

"I'm sure that we will politically stabilize the country, we will ensure tranquility for the country to resume growth. In a democracy, it is absolutely normal to have the opposition or any person criticizing [the government] and expressing themselves. We cannot accept that central issues for the country not being performed by a joint action aimed at ensuring that we generate jobs and income again. We will do our part," she pointed out.

Precandidacy

At the meeting, the Democratic Labour Party's (PDT) national directory decided to announce Ciro Gomes, Ceará's former governor and former National Integration Minister, as a candidate for the presidency in 2018. The party also upheld their decision about being against President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment proceedings, initiated at the House of Representatives and decided to support the ouster of Eduardo Cunha (member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party—PMDB) as president of the lower house.

President Dilma Rousseff thanked the support of the PDT (of which she was a member until 2002) and reaffirmed that these proceedings against her are a coup attempt. "During my whole life, as a member of the PDT or the Workers' Party (PT), I have never faced a single charge of misusing public money. I have no money [in bank accounts] abroad and have an unblemished reputation," she declared receiving applause from the members of the PDT.

The president pointed out PDT's founding member Brizola, whom she called a Brazilian hero, and said she needs suggestions to make Brazil move forward.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta

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