Politics · Brazil · 5 hrs ago
BR Partners CEO urges Lula to choose a market-credible finance minister
At a business conference in Chicago, BR Partners CEO Ricardo Lacerda urged Lula to appoint a finance minister trusted by markets.
He said the government’s main challenge should be addressing Brazil’s public deficit.
The minister, in his view, should help balance public finances while making room for promises Lula made during the campaign.
Lacerda said long-term interest-rate expectations of 15% to 16% need to come down, saying high rates are harming people in Brazil.
He also argued that Brazil’s judiciary needs reform, citing decisions he believes have weakened confidence among investors.
One proposal he praised would set a minimum age of 60 for Supreme Court ministers and limit their terms to 12 years.
Lacerda said restoring trust in the courts would benefit investors and the country’s credibility, but no next steps were specified.
BR Partners CEO Ricardo Lacerda urged President Lula to appoint a finance minister with credibility among financial markets and those who finance the Brazilian state.
Lacerda said the government should address the public deficit and balance public accounts with Lula’s campaign promises.
He said a plan for public finances could help improve the outlook for interest rates.
Lacerda made the remarks at the MBA Brasil 2026 conference in Chicago.
He also called for reform of Brazil’s judiciary, saying its credibility matters to investors and the country.
- Who
- Ricardo Lacerda, CEO of BR Partners, urged President Lula to choose a market-credible finance minister.
- What
- Lacerda said Brazil needs a plan to address the public deficit and balance public accounts with campaign promises.
- When
- At the MBA Brasil 2026 conference, held on November 6 and 7.
- Where
- Chicago, United States.
- Why
- Lacerda said public finances need to be addressed to support a positive trajectory for interest rates and ease pressures affecting Brazilians.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The MBA Brasil 2026 conference was held in Chicago.
Ricardo Lacerda spoke at the conference about public finances and the choice of finance minister.
InfoMoney published its report on Lacerda’s remarks.
- Speaker
- Ricardo Lacerda, CEO of BR Partners
- Conference
- MBA Brasil 2026
- Conference dates
- November 6–7, 2026
- Location
- Chicago, United States
- Finance minister
- Lacerda urged Lula to choose someone credible with markets and those who finance the Brazilian state
What people are saying
I think he has to appoint a finance minister who has credibility with the market, who has credibility with those who finance the Brazilian state and who can work out how to accommodate the promises President Lula made during the campaign, which are legitimate, while also balancing the public accounts
We need a flight plan for Brazil that balances the public accounts
Today we have a futures interest rate curve pointing to levels of 15, 16 percent for a very long period; this has to be reversed or you break everyone