Criticism makes Lula discuss government management with President Rousseff

01/12/2013 - 18h03

Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has conveyed his worries about the performance of the Dilma Rousseff administration and its consequences for the PT's power project.

To discuss the situation, he scheduled a meeting with the president for the second half of January.

Interlocutors say Lula believes Rousseff needs to "unlock" her administration, among other reasons to maintain her popularity high in a challenging year such as 2013.

At the end of 2012, businessmen, bankers, politicians and leaders of social movements sought Lula.

Aside from the already traditional complaints about the "Rousseff style," this time Lula heard and partially agreed with different complaints: lack of conversation, excessive centralization and, for some, the government's interventionism in the economy, reinforced last year by measures in the electric sector.

In November, during a meeting at the official residence of the president, Lula had talked about "unlocking the government," but in a very careful way.

In effect, President Rousseff received several businessmen this week at the Palácio do Planalto.

Meanwhile, the problem in the economic and energy areas are growing, such as the difficulty to fulfill the promise made on TV to reduce electric bills while hydroelectric reservoirs are low.

In the political area, PT members believe it is necessary to come closer to the party's supporting basis in Congress to try to prevent allies from leaving and joining possible PT adversaries in 2014. Governor Eduardo Campos (PSB-PE) has attracted those who are disappointed with the Rousseff style.