Lula guarantees the country greater development in 2006

Keite Camacho

Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - In his weekly radio program, "Breakfast with the President," president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva avowed that Brazil will develop more in 2006 and that growth will be "more vigorous and solid." According to the president, this is grounded on what has been accomplished during the first three years of his mandate. "I am not promising, I am guaranteeing the Brazilian people that we will have a Brazil developing much more in 2006."

Lula underscored that his Administration will strive to consolidate what has already been accomplished, because, according to him, "everything is in place for the Brazilian economy to grow." He pointed out that the lowering of interest rates will permit more investments in 2006, creating more industries and more jobs. "More investments will mean more salaries, more purchases in stores, more orders for firms, and the development of Brazil as I and all Brazilians dream of," he added.

In the president's view, the lowering of interest rates is not a momentary phenomenon. "We made some sacrifices so that we could control inflation. Now we have what I consider a steady policy of lowering interest rates, including the good news from the National Monetary Council that the BNDES long-term interest rate has been reduced from 9.75% to 9%," he affirmed.

Analyzing next year's political contest, Lula said that the president's role is not to allow it "to take over the administrative routine and the country's development." "The elections cannot and should not interfere with [the country's growth]. In our favor we have the figures from the IBGE, the figures on the economy, and three years of experience and serenity that show the Brazilian people that the Administration remains unflappable, however serious the situation. After all, that's the way an Administration should behave," he said.

The "Breakfast with the President" program was recorded on Sunday (25). Lula responded to Luiz Fara Monteiro's questions over the phone from his home in São Bernardo do Campo, where he went to spend Christmas.

Translation: David Silberstein