Brazilian Governors Call for Restart of Reform Agenda

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Meeting for the sixth time to advocate a common interest agenda, the governors that make up the South and Southeast Integration Consortium (COSUD) called for the federal government to restart a reformist agenda deemed crucial to Brazil’s growth.

In the meeting held on Saturday in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, a letter of demands was signed by the seven governors. In it, they reinforce their support for administrative and tax reforms, for the passing of a new Federative Pact, and they further call for a national mobilization so that the state social welfare reforms progress.

According to the follow-up conducted by the State Social Welfare Monitor, at least 15 state governments have already managed to pass changes in their respective State Assemblies.

However, the first point in the document is the need to extend the Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Basic Education and the Valuation of Education Professionals (FUNDEB), the new format of which must be voted on by Congress by the end of the year.

In addition to additional resources, the governors advocate a better distribution of federal contributions to all regions in the country, the validity of the use of resources for the payment of inactive civil servants, intra-state solidarity and a change in formulas for the correction of the national salary floor of teachers.

“We believe in an understanding with the federal government, in an open dialogue for commitment to democracy. On April 17th, we will hold a meeting in Brasília with the 27 governors during the National Forum and there we will have a great opportunity to discuss major agendas, such as reforms and the Federative Pact,” said the governor of São Paulo, João Doria.

It was also agreed that the seven states, through their health secretariats, will send a letter to the federal government asking for federal funds to fight the new coronavirus. The additional transfer would amount to R$1 billion (US$250 million) to pay for the installation of ICU beds for patient care.

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo