Gleisi criticizes Galípolo for 15% Selic rate: 'It's wrong'

Minister Gleisi Hoffmann , responsible for political coordination in the Lula administration (Workers' Party), once again criticized the Central Bank for maintaining the benchmark interest rate, the Selic, at 15%. In the statement, given to the SBT News channel on Monday night, the 13th, she took a swipe at the current head of the agency, Gabriel Galípolo.

"This stratospheric rate that we have started was encouraged by Roberto Campos Neto, who engaged in fiscal terrorism: 'the accounts are not up to date, interest rates must be raised.' When Galípolo took office, appointed by the president, he continued this escalation and now it has stopped, but it should have been lowered," the minister began when commenting on the Selic .

"We don't have the power to determine [what the Central Bank and Galípolo decide], what I can do is criticize, and I'm criticizing as I did before," he maintained. "I think he's wrong; it's a stratospheric rate , it's bad for economic development, and it's not in line with the parameters of the Brazilian economy."

According to the minister, the Central Bank's delay inlowering the country's benchmark interest rate also has another reason: the productive sector's failure to act. "Today, the Central Bank is only pressured by the financial sector and only does what is in the financial sector's interest; that's wrong," she said. "The productive sector should also pressure the Central Bank," Gleisi insisted.

End of 6×1 scale

During the conversation, the minister also confirmed that the government should embark on the fight to end the 6-for-1 workday (six days worked, one day off). According to Gleisi, there is little room for debate and approval of the measure before 2025. The projection for 2026, however, is more optimistic.

“If we put it up for debate and have a big debate next year, I believe we will move forward,” he highlighted.

Cuts in Centrão positions

Gleisi also commented again on the cuts made to government appointees from the Centrão . According to the minister, no one sponsored by members of Congress who vote against the government will be spared. "Whoever wants to stay in government, to have people appointed to the government, has to stay in government," she summarized.

For the minister, the cuts cannot be called retaliation or a witch hunt. "It's simply a reorganization of the base," she explains. "Nominations for government appointments will be withdrawn, and we will reallocate them to those who are already serving the government."

According to Gleisi, the cut also does not mean a definitive break with the Centrão, but rather an opportunity for parties and parliamentarians to "reevaluate their stance."

When asked how many "unfaithful" candidates will be removed , Gleisi said it was impossible to provide specific figures, as the situation was still being mapped out. She explained that the expectation is to finalize the identification and dismissals by the end of this week.