The 1 -year ceremony of Nova Indústria Brasil, with Haddad and Alckmin, had at least 16 empty chairs on the main table
The 1 year ceremony of Nova Indústria Brasil, at Planalto Palace, with the presence of the President (PT), had his main table emptied this Wednesday (12.FEV.2025). Of the more than 50 chairs arranged in the western hall of the palace, at least 16 were empty when Lula arrived at the scene.
The empty places, about 1 third of the total, were prepared with chairs and plates with the names of who should be sitting there. Of the unoccupied chairs, there were names such as the Brazilian Portland Cement Association, the National Union of Defense Materials Industries and Nav Brasil, an air navigation services company.
Marked at 11am, the ceremony was starting only at 11:38 am, when the president arrived at the event. At that moment, several of the empty chairs created holes on the main table of the ceremony.
Only at 11:44 am, when Vice-President and Minister of Industry and Commerce, Geraldo Alckmin, was already speaking, that the ceremonial began to ask the guests to approach and fill the empty spaces.
In addition to Lula and Alckmin, the event was also attended by Finance Minister Fernando Haddad, Science, Luciana Santos, Health, Nísia Trindade, and Labor, Luiz Marinho.
The event launched the goals of Mission 6 of the Nova Indústria Brasil program, focused on national defense. According to Planalto, public and private investments reach R $ 112.9 billion at this stage. There are R $ 79.8 billion public, the funds, however, have investments already announced such as PAC Defense with R $ 31.4 billion.
On Monday (10.FEV), the Defense Minister José Múcio said that the Armed Forces Budget is among the minors of South America and that Brazil faces financial difficulties to maintain its military structure. The statement was given during an interview with the program Rodas well TV Cultura.
Múcio said that defense spending represents 1.1% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), while the judiciary sector consumes around 1.5%. He compared the scenario with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which recommend that nations without conflicts invest 2% of GDP in the military area. “We have no money for absolutely nothing”Said the minister.
According to Múcio, the folder does not receive parliamentary amendments and faces challenges to finance projects such as the submarine program and the acquisition of Gripen fighters, both initiated in previous governments. “The money is over and we left without resources to absolutely everything”He said.
The minister also mentioned that, despite the limitations, the military continues operating in emergency situations. As an example, it mentioned the displacement of 20,000 army soldiers to Rio Grande do Sul and 3,000 to the Pantanal, in response to natural disasters. “Our contingent is small, but even smaller is our investment ”concluded.
