Haddad says opposition deputies are “playing pranks” and Jordy responds: “You’re the prankster”

Finance Minister Fernando Haddad took part in an argument and was called a "brat" during a public hearing in the Finance and Taxation and Financial Oversight and Control Committees of the Chamber of Deputies, on the morning of this Wednesday (11).

The minister stated that it was "mischief" on the part of deputies Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) and Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) to leave the session after asking questions and criticizing the government's economic policy.

The minister said he cannot debate with the "Bolsonaristas", who "always run away" from the debate. "This type of attitude, this type of mischief from Nikolas and Jordy, who ran away from the debate, will not help", said the minister.

Upon returning to the session, Congressman Carlos Jordy said that the "kid" was the minister. After intervention by Congressman Marcel Van Hattem (Novo-RS), the statements of both authorities were removed from the shorthand notes of the hearing.

Haddad also stated that, in the 2018 elections, then-candidate Jair Bolsonaro “ran away” from all debates with him in the second round. In response, congressman Marcel Van Hattem stated that Bolsonaro had not fled, as he was hospitalized due to the stabbing he received during the election period.

“I am stating the truth of the facts. He did not run away from any debate, he was hospitalized. Unless you wanted to debate with him in a hospital bed, which I think is not something worthy of someone who should have empathy for others, regardless of whether it is Bolsonaro or Lula,” said the deputy from Novo.

During his speech, Nikolas questioned the attitude of the minister and his team members, who seemed to be managing countries like "Switzerland". "Gosh, do I need to prove here, with some technical term, how the economy is doing? It's a tax every 37 days ," said the parliamentarian.

Jordy, in turn, had criticized the increasing taxation, with the increase in the Tax on Financial Transactions (IOF), which is regulatory, and the subsequent government package. "In fact, I have never seen a government so confused," said the parliamentarian, when criticizing the government's retreats in Pix and IOF.

Jordy also said that the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has caused an "economic disaster" with high interest rates, inflation and imbalance in public accounts, and that he tries to blame everyone for this. "But the blame is on you, who are constantly trying to balance the public accounts on the revenue side. You have to balance it on the expenditure side, with spending cuts," he said.

The hearing was chaired by congressman Rogério Correia (PT-MG), who ended the session after confusion when giving the floor to the deputies present to speak. The president claimed that the "Bolsonarista" congressmen caused a disturbance and that, due to their actions, it was not possible to continue the meeting.

Minister Haddad left the hearing to a chorus of people calling him a "fugitive".

For the opposition leader, Haddad is no longer in a position to continue in office

After the hearing, the leader of the opposition in the Chamber of Deputies, federal deputy Zucco (PL-RS), sent a note to the press in which he stated that the Finance Minister was no longer able to continue in his position due to the attacks made on the deputies and his political isolation. "He came to the Chamber to cause trouble," he said.

“Mr. Haddad said that Bolsonaro ran away from the debates in 2018. A cowardly, lying and absolutely inhumane statement. We all know that the president was stabbed and almost died. This is not a political debate — it is villainy disguised as oratory,” said the parliamentarian.

In the note, the congressman also stated that dissatisfaction with the minister is not restricted to the opposition, but also extends to the parties that have ministries in the Lula government. The congressman also said that, not by chance, the minister has the nickname "Taxad", as he went to the House to once again defend tax increases, as if the population were an inexhaustible source of money.

"But what we saw was an unbalanced, isolated and hostile minister. Haddad has completely lost the conditions to continue in office," said Zucco. Regarding the new spending package defended by the minister at the hearing - and which is facing resistance in Congress - the parliamentarian stated that not even the government's allied base is willing to "carry this bomb."

Haddad says income tax reform only affects "penthouse residents"

At the beginning of the hearing, Haddad defended the new Income Tax rules and said that they only affect "penthouse residents". According to him, the reality in the country is like that of a condominium that charges a fee to the caretaker, but not to the penthouse resident.

Haddad argued that, with the income tax reform , the tax rate will increase for those who "do not pay even 10% of the effective tax rate and who earn more than R$1 million per year”. According to the minister, the average income tax rate for people with this income level is 2.5%.

The minister also stated that the government is supporting Brazilian agribusiness by defending a 10% cut in tax benefits granted to sectors of the economy and industries – the measure is part of the fiscal package recently announced by the government. According to Haddad, the tax break in favor of the agribusiness sector amounts to R$158 billion per year.

Haddad talks about "dialogue" with Congress about spending cuts

When responding to congressman Pedro Paulo (PSD-RJ), who questioned him about the fiscal risk, due to the increase in public debt, the minister stated that it is a concern to resolve the issue of the public deficit, which he conditioned on the political crisis in 2015.

Haddad also stated that the transfers to the Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education and the Appreciation of Professionals in Education (Fundeb) and the judicialization of the BPC implied R$100 billion in additional expenses, and said that the government is seeking parameters to introduce “adequate rationality” in judicial decisions regarding the benefit.

Haddad also said that it is necessary to move forward in the dialogue with Parliament about cutting spending. “Are we going to address the issue of super salaries or not? Are we going to address the issue of military retirement or not? Are we going to address the issue of the fine-tooth comb on social benefits or not?” he asked.