Key facts
- Flavio Bolsonaro pledged a 200 billion real fiscal adjustment if elected president.
- He rejected media reports of proposed cuts to minimum wage increases and social benefits.
- The adjustment would come from eliminating ministries, tackling state-controlled firm mismanagement, and monetizing federal real estate.
- Brazil's gross debt has risen to 82.9% of GDP during President Lula's term.
SAO PAULO, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro stated on Friday that he would pursue fiscal adjustments to curb rising public debt without reducing social spending if elected president. He specifically refuted media reports suggesting his campaign was considering such cuts.
Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, is set to face incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a presidential runoff on October 25 and currently leads in opinion polls. He announced a pledge for a 200 billion real ($39.49 billion) fiscal adjustment in the federal budget.
Instead of cutting social programs, Bolsonaro indicated the adjustment would be achieved through measures such as eliminating ministries, addressing mismanagement in state-controlled companies, and monetizing federal real estate assets. He also confirmed he would not reverse a recent constitutional amendment to shorten the working week from six to five days.