President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated this Tuesday (12) that public companies must sponsor cultural events that the private sector is not interested in. He stated that the government will have to “find money” to promote actions by groups that are “confined” in their regions.
“We have to convince Brazilian public companies to do what private companies do not want to do. If you don’t want to finance maracatu festivals, you have to find a public company that can finance it”, said Lula during the act of sanctioning the bill establishing National Maracatu Day, at the Palácio do Planalto.
He also stated that Brazilian culture “will remain the same size” if there is no public incentive for groups to travel around the country.
“If we wait for only the companions who practice maracatu in the world, Brazil and Pernambuco to have money to be shown on TV channels and travel around the country and make other states aware of it, we will continue to be the same size as we are. it is”, he amended.
Through social media, he also stated that “we recognize in law one of the strongest and most characteristic Brazilian cultural manifestations. From today onwards we have National Maracatu Day, the 1st of August”.
The defense for public companies to sponsor events that the private sector supposedly does not want occurs amid the discussion of cutting public spending that has been going on for more than two weeks and which could mainly affect the government’s social area.
The expectation is that a solution will be found this Wednesday (13), a forecast given by Minister Fernando Haddad (Finance) to close negotiations with the affected ministries. In addition to the social area and possible changes in Health and Education funding, the expectation is that another portfolio will be subject to cuts.
Haddad mentioned that Lula had asked for additional effort from another ministry, but without explaining which one. Behind-the-scenes information indicates that Defense is likely to suffer cuts, and the president will have a meeting with Minister José Múcio Monteiro in the afternoon – which coincides with the Finance Minister’s speech on Monday (11).
“There’s no money for that. [maracatu]. And now, dear Margaret [Menezes, ministra da Cultura]we will have to… find money, sponsorship”, added Lula at the event to sanction the National Maracatu Day.
