Paulo Guedes stated that it is not the time to ask for increased wages for police officers or doctors who “go to the streets to exercise their function”, adding that the Government should not “give medals before the battle”.
“The medals are given after the war, not before the war. Our heroes are not mercenaries. What is this story about asking for a salary increase because a policeman or doctor goes to the street to perform his function?
According to the official, those who work long hours during the fight against the coronavirus will already receive an additional payment, in the form of overtime.
“We are only going to ask for a contribution, please, while Brazil is on its knees, trying to get back on its feet, please don’t assault Brazil. Do not make an election year, where it is important to make the most of the giant that was slaughtered, let him rise, ”said Guedes, referring to the municipal elections scheduled for October.
The minister also asked for support from Congress, governors and mayors to maintain a possible veto of salary adjustments, included in the package of financial aid to states and municipalities approved earlier this month.
In addition to Guedes, the press conference was also attended by other ministers, such as Damares Alves, holder of the portfolio of Women, Family and Human Rights, who stated that the initial idea of that meeting was to “celebrate” the 500 days of the Government President Jair Bolsonaro, but that the urgency of the pandemic theme changed the direction of his statements.
“We dream of a big party at the Government headquarters, to close the streets and celebrate. Indians dancing with us, gypsies, quilombolas [descendentes de negros que fugiram da escravidão] coming here to celebrate ”, said the minister, who expects a“ much bigger ”party in the celebration of a thousand days of Government.
Paulo Guedes also affirmed, during the press conference, that the pandemic turned out to be “a blessing” for Brazil, in relation to the exports of raw materials that the country has been carrying out.
“Brazil is the only economy in the world that is increasing exports. (…) It was a curse, but, curiously, the moment the meteor hit Brazil with this pandemic, what was a curse became a blessing. The productive chains are breaking and Brazil is selling agricultural products and minerals ”, said the Minister of Economy.
On the day that the Brazilian executive marked the 500 working days, the country’s Minister of Health, Nelson Teich, asked for his resignation, less than a month after taking office.
Teich had taken office on April 17, after the dismissal of former minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, who disagreed with Jair Bolsonaro in conducting measures to combat the new coronavirus.
On Friday, the Ministry of Health announced a study that will measure the spread of coronavirus in Brazilian cities, in order to create more efficient public policies. In all, 99,750 people from 133 municipalities in all regions of the country will undergo a rapid test (serology), which detects whether the person has already had the disease.
The South American country has already counted 14,817 fatalities and 218,223 confirmed cases of covid-19, and the possible relationship of 2,300 deaths with the covid-19 disease is still being investigated.
Globally, the covid-19 pandemic has already claimed more than 306,000 deaths and infected nearly 4.5 million people in 196 countries and territories.
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