Bolsonaro Says He Can’t Change Country ‘Alone’, Promotes Expenses Beyond Spending Cap

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Six days after saying that Brazil is “broke”, President Jair Bolsonaro again mentioned the state of public accounts as a factor limiting his actions in office.

On Monday, January 11th, the President argued that he will not change the country “alone” and stated that he can not promote expenses beyond the spending cap, although some want him to perform “miracles”, he said.

To supporters, Bolsonaro complained that it would not be easy to manage the country with limited resources, a situation he ascribed to the constitutional amendment that limits the increase in public spending to the preceding year’s inflation.

“Fewer and fewer resources with the cap law and doing more. Some want me to lie ‘oh, Brazil is a wonder’. It’s not a wonder,” said the President. “Do you know how much our internal debt is? R$5 trillion. Is that synonymous that we are well or that we are poorly?”, he asked. He said 2020 was a “lost” year”.

The head of the country also mentioned an agreement that might be signed with Japan on technological research involving the development of batteries with niobium and graphene, two types of minerals that Bolsonaro has been emphasizing for years.

In his opinion, the country that manages to develop a “super battery” with niobium and graphene would achieve the “invention of the century”. In this case, the price of oil would go “downhill”, he said.

Unwavering

Amid impeachment requests piling up in the drawer of the Chamber president and criticism for his stance and actions with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bolsonaro also declared: “You don’t know the extent of my patience, I’m unwavering, so you’ll have to put up with me, only God in heaven can take me away. No one else.”

Criticism of mayors and governors

As he has been doing since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil, Bolsonaro on Monday criticized mayors and governors who adopted restrictions on the operation of trade as measures to tackle the spread of the virus. He even insinuated that managers would have “stolen” jobs from workers.

“Who stole a job from you? Was it me? Did I close anything? I didn’t close anything”, said the President to supporters. “They closed down everything and now I see some mayors closing again, like the one in Belo Horizonte (Alexandre Kalil). They’re closing restaurants, bars, closing for what?”, he asked in his conversation with supporters.