Romeu Zema, a presidential candidate for the Novo party and former governor of Minas Gerais, advocated for the privatization of state-owned companies Monday [1].
The proposal signals a push for a radical shift in Brazil's economic structure by reducing the government's role in industry. Zema's platform centers on the belief that selling state assets will drive efficiency and reduce national debt.
During a televised interview at the TV Globo studio, Zema said he defended the sale of major state-owned companies, including the oil giant Petrobras [1, 4]. The broadcast, which aired on G1 and GloboNews, was part of a series where Globo invited six candidates to present their platforms [5].
Zema detailed a fiscal strategy designed to stabilize the economy and lower borrowing costs. He proposed a fiscal adjustment aimed at reducing interest rates to six percent [1]. To support this goal, Zema said that a significant fiscal shock could save R$ 1 trillion over 20 years [2].
This privatization agenda is a continuation of the policies Zema implemented while serving as governor of Minas Gerais. He previously said that he privatized nearly everything in that state, with the exception of the energy company Cemig [3].
Throughout the interview, Zema said that the government should not manage businesses that can be run more effectively by the private sector. He said that the proceeds from these sales would be essential for the proposed fiscal adjustments [4].
“Zema proposed a fiscal adjustment aimed at reducing interest rates to 6%.”
Zema's platform represents a neoliberal approach to governance that seeks to dismantle the state's industrial footprint. By targeting Petrobras, one of Brazil's most valuable assets, he is positioning himself as the candidate of fiscal austerity and market liberalization, contrasting sharply with candidates who view state-led investment as the primary driver of national development.
