The call was a government error, and the scandal will be on the PT’s agenda in the presidential campaign given the now known relations between (PL-RJ) and, according to (PT), Minister of Institutional Relations and the president’s political coordinator.
In an interview with SheetGuimarães countered criticism from the opposition about the alleged electoral nature of what was announced by Planalto, including the overturning of the “blouse tax” that had been in force since 2024.
Recalling that Flávio denied any contact with Vorcaro until the appearance, the minister said that “the country needs to be cleaned up”.
“We defend due legal process: whoever did it pays the bill. Voters will be more discerning and will evaluate the character of the candidates. Flávio’s image as ‘modern and ethical’ has collapsed; the king is naked and it will be difficult for him to dress again.”
According to messages revealed by , Flávio asked Vorcaro for money for “” (“underdog”, in English), the former president (PL). The combined value would be R$134 million, of which R$61 million was actually paid to production.
Guimarães, after being chosen by Lula to assume the position of head of the Secretariat of Institutional Relations due to the departure of (PT) to contest the elections for Paraná.
He took over with nods to parliamentarians, saying that “there is no government that works that does not have dialogue with Congress”.
Now, he states that “there was a lack of political strategy on our part in Congress to deal with cases such as the CPMI of the INSS”, which involved , but says that “the situation is returning to normality”, despite the Senate at the end of last month, with the rejection of the nomination to fill a position as minister of the (Supreme Federal Court).
Guimarães addressed the Master scandal when answering whether the government rushed to suspend the “blouse tax” for fear that an initiative of this nature would come from Congress. was signed last week.
“It doesn’t matter where the initiative comes from, what matters is merit. What we don’t want is for blame that doesn’t belong to the government to fall into our laps, as in the case of Banco Master. You can’t support a candidacy with lies”, said the minister in reference to the fact that Flávio denied a relationship with Vorcaro.
Guimarães rejected electoral motivation for the end of the federal tax on international purchases of up to US$50 (R$245 in today’s values).
“The ‘blouse tax’ should not have been made and I regret it because I was leader of the government in Congress”, he stated.
‘Package of kindness’
The minister listed the other measures of the so-called “package of kindness”, which includes and, adopted to reduce family debt and contain rising prices, “aiming at a smooth economy before the electoral process”.
“The package is not electoral, but what is necessary to heat up the economy and protect Brazilian workers from the impacts of the war between [o presidente dos Estados Unidos, Donald] Trump and Iran in fuel and alleviate some of the hardship that families are suffering from debt. The country does not stop having a government because of the electoral period.”
The minister argued that import taxes were included in Congress by a PP deputy, during the processing of the Mover automotive program project. But he admitted that it was a mistake for Planalto to have embarked on the charge. At the time, one of the reasons listed was the protection and generation of national jobs.
One of the main defenders of the revocation within the government, Guimarães stated that the extinction of the charge was the product of a convincing process that took around a month. The opposition claims that Planalto only anticipated a movement that was being rehearsed in Congress, with the capacity to wear down Lula on the eve of the election.
“The amendment that exempted purchases up to US$50 was voted unanimously, but it impacted low-income families who buy basic items such as cell phone cases and pens. Therefore, it was necessary to relieve the consumer”, he explained.
“It affected popular sectors and the lower middle class, and the impact on revenue was minimal. It was a measure that should not have been taken and I worked hard to reverse it, as it harmed families.”
Guimarães minimized the impact of the measures on public accounts, stating that all of this was done “without changing fiscal rules or fiscal disarray.”
