Minister talks about fuel, rules out intervention in BRB, rules out privatization of Correios and defends automating IR
The Minister of Finance, said that the government is preparing a new program to reduce family debt and that the proposal must be presented within 10 days. In an interview with journalist Miriam Leitão, on on Wednesday (April 1, 2026), he stated that the initiative seeks to simplify debt renegotiation and avoid a new cycle of default, at a time when debt, according to the Central Bank.
“We want to simplify, do something very educational for people to access and renegotiate their debt”he declared. The minister stated that the model will be different from the one, launched in 2023, and will involve direct negotiation with banks, fintechs and credit operators. “There is also a kind of compensation or care in terms of financial education so that people do not go back into debt”these.
According to him, there will be discounts granted by financial institutions and, in some cases, government guarantees to reduce the risk of operations. “It’s not a subsidy, it’s a guarantee to reduce banks’ risk”these.
Durigan, who took over the ministry after (PT-SP), stated that the government has been following the issue since the beginning of the president’s (PT) term, which stops the increase in . He said that the expansion of credit and income contributed to the increase in debts and declared that more than 15 million people were banked. “Income has increased. People have access to work”these. “This is positive, but the level and type of debt worries us”he stated.
Regarding the possibility of reducing the tax on financial transactions for low-income debtors, the minister stated that the measure is still under analysis and there is no decision. “In principle I am not sympathetic to the withdrawal of the IOF, but this is being discussed”these.
The minister spoke about the situation at Banco de Brasília and stated that there will be no federal intervention, despite that of the governor of the Federal District, (PP). The institution is facing difficulties in dealing with a credit portfolio estimated at R$88 billion. “What there won’t be is federal intervention or specific federal aid”he said. According to him, Banco do Brasil and Caixa Econômica Federal can acquire BRB assets, but under market conditions.
In the area of fuels, Durigan stated that the government may adopt new measures to contain . He mentioned the withdrawal of taxes and subsidies already adopted and said that new actions could include cooking gas and aviation kerosene. “We will try to mitigate the price of war. It is a war far from the country, but it affects Brazilian families”he declared. The minister said that the price of a liter of diesel will be more expensive in states that do not join the agreement for companies that import the fuel.
Regarding Correios, Durigan acknowledged management problems and said that the state-owned company is undergoing restructuring. He avoided privatization in the short term and defended partnerships with the private sector. “We don’t need to talk about privatization at first, but we can talk about ‘joint ventures’, about improving processes”he declared. The minister stated that, after the failure of the voluntary dismissal plan, the company must sell assets and review its staff.
Durigan defended the . “The guideline is that we end the Income Tax declaration as we know it today”he said. He gave as an example the automatic release of refunds of up to R$1,000 for around 4 million taxpayers this year.
When dealing with the political scenario, the minister stated that he intends to maintain dialogue with Congress and highlighted the importance of democracy. He mentioned differences between generations when responding to the journalist’s question. “I grew up in a post-88 generation. It’s strange to have a debate again that seemed outdated in the country”he said. For 2026, he stated that he expects elections with recognition of results and institutional stability.
In the tax field, Durigan refuted criticism about the increase in public debt and attributed the movement to the interest rate. “The fiscal result is not responsible for the increase in public debt”he declared. He stated that the government reduced the primary deficit and that the fiscal framework “survived and worked”although it admits the need for adjustments.
Finally, the minister highlighted measures against persistent debtors, citing that it toughens punishments. “The persistent debtor will lose his CNPJ and have assets blocked”he stated. According to him, the measure seeks to differentiate those who delay payments on a punctual basis from companies that fail to pay taxes on a recurring basis.
