Márcio Pochmann’s management is the target of right-wing politicians; union has already criticized the president’s “authoritarian measures”
The IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) announced on Monday (6 January 2025) the change in the board of directors. Gustavo Junger da Silva will take on the role of research director, replacing Elizabeth Belo Hypolito. Vladimir Gonçalves Miranda takes over as deputy director, replacing João Hallak Neto.
En, IBGE said that the transition of work will take place starting next week. “The presidency thanks employees Elizabeth Hypolito and João Hallak, who continue to collaborate with the institute and the research directorate, for their contribution and services during the period”, the text reads.
Gustavo Junger has been an IBGE employee since 2006. He currently works in the technical coordination of the demographic census of the DPE (Research Directorate).
Vladimir Miranda has been part of the body since 2010. Today, he is part of DPE’s conceptual planning management.
Economist Marcio Pochmann’s tenure as president of IBGE has been the target of several criticisms. Appointed by the PT government, he took office on August 18, 2023.
On December 27 last year, former president (PL) said that the unemployment rate in Brazil published by IBGE is “a lie”. The rate in the quarter ending in November was 6.1%, the rate started in 2012.
According to the former Chief Executive, the information does not serve to guide the Brazilian economy. “Anyone who is not looking for a job, according to IBGE, is employed. For those who receive any social benefit, [como o] BHello Family, you are employed. So there is a very small number of people left to know whether you are employed or not. And this lie is corroborated by the fact that the number of people seeking unemployment insurance has increased”, declared Bolsonaro.
In response, the national president of the PT, deputy (PR), on Saturday (4 January 2025) that Bolsonaro “attack” the IBGE because it has “aversion to the truth”.
The PT president said that the methodology used by IBGE is the same as that used in all governments since 2012, including the period in which Bolsonaro and then Economy Minister Paulo Guedes took unemployment to 14% – worsened by the covid pandemic. In 2021, the unemployment rate remained at in the quarter ending in May.
Pochmann’s management is also criticized by IBGE employees. AssIBGE (National Union of IBGE Workers) accuses the president of the institute of “authoritarianism”. He says that the current management held few conversations with employees about the changes studied.
Employees also have other demands. Read below:
- IBGE statute – they say that the institute wants to make changes to the document without dialogue. They claim that they directly affect the working conditions, autonomy or governance of the body;
- IBGE + foundation – are against the creation of the institution, which would be in partnership with the private sector.
On October 15, IBGE employees held a 24-hour. A day earlier, on October 14, Pochmann announced structural changes in the organization and stated that his management has promoted “the largest dialogue in the history of the organization”.
IBGE MADE THE MAP WRONG
Under Pochmann’s management, IBGE created a world map in which Brazil appears at the center of the world as part of the 9th School Geographic Atlas. The version, however, a number of errors.
One sequence swapped maps of the Jurassic (which is said to have been 135 million years ago) and Cretaceous (65 million years ago) periods – a difference of 70 million years. The sequence also contained incorrect information about the age, length of geological periods and separation of continents on the planet. At the time, IBGE recognized the flaws and published an errata.
Pochmann has already presided over the Perseu Abramo Foundation, linked to the PT, and the Lula Institute. He was also president of Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research). His management was criticized internally for allegedly having equipped the body and running a more ideological administration.
With , the head of IBGE has already criticized Pix, labor and social security reforms and defended the reduction of working hours.
