President states that the old management does not talk to the government; The petista met with the new CEO of the mining company on Tuesday (28.jan)
The President (PT) said on Thursday (30.Jan.2025) that Vale was governed by “A Long Term” in a way “Very irresponsible”. He said he recognized the importance of the company for the country, but stated that the company was not proximity to the government.
“I am aware that Vale was governed by a certain period in a very, very irresponsible way. Vale did not talk to the government and did not discuss the projects that it can participate in this moment of energy transition ”The president said to journalists during a conversation at Planalto.
On Tuesday (28.Jan), Lula met with the president of Vale, Gustavo Pimenta, in Brasilia. It was the 1st meeting of the petista with a CEO of the mining company in the current term. Until the exchange of command with Eduardo Bartolomeo, held in October 2024, the ruler used to criticize the company.
The petista said he was “satisfied” With the impression that the new president passed and said it is necessary for Vale to recover the prestige. He said the change of command will facilitate the action.
The meeting at 3 pm was not on Lula’s official agenda. The commitment was officially at 7:41 pm by the (Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency). Petista’s director of institutional relations and former advisor Kennedy Alencar accompanied the meeting.
Criticism of Vale
In January 2024, Lula tried former Finance Minister Guido Mantega in the company’s presidency. He complained that he was not proximity to the company. The articulation, however, had a strong negative reaction from the financial market and the economic agents in general, and the petista.
At the time, Lula intensified criticism of the mining company. On January 25, 2024, reminiscent of the 5th anniversary of Brumadinho’s tragedy in Minas Gerais, the petista said the company had done nothing to repair the destruction caused.
The company, however, had already closed a reparatory measures agreement with the State of Minas Gerais in the amount of R $ 37 billion, signed in February 2021.
In a statement issued on January 15, 2024, Vale said it also hit separate compensation agreements with 15,400 people. The total amount was R $ 3.5 billion. Lula also stated that the company could not think it was “Dona do Brasil” and that should align with the thinking of development of the Brazilian government.
Rapprochement
Eduardo Bartolomeo’s departure from the Vale Command and the arrival of Gustavo Pimenta in October 2024 in office helped appease the company’s relationship with Lula and his government. The government considered the dialogue with the management of almost null Bartolomeo. Although it was not a government name, the new CEO was unanimously elected in the company’s board of directors, including the votes of Previ, which is the Banco do Brasil pension fund.
