The closure of the Ford plant in Camaçari (BA) exposes a fundamental problem, according to Governor Rui Costa (PT). In his opinion, Brazil has abandoned plans to encourage more manufacturing production, devoting itself solely to agricultural commodities.
Along with low economic growth (undermining sales), the policy's risks have created a scenario in which the country is becoming a massive farm).
"There is no planning. What have we done in the last five years to increase investment in technology and industrialization? Nothing. We are pleased to become a plantation," he said.
In the last few months, he said he had been following Ford's cost reductions. But it was only on Monday afternoon that Ford informed him of their plans to close the state's unit. The company tried to attract Chinese companies to take over local production, a 50 million square meter plot, and a port.
"It's difficult to imagine that Brazil already had a relevant industry, that it had a flourishing oil industry, that large builders vied for contracts to do international works," he says. "For five years, Brazil has been experiencing a strong institutional crisis which has paralyzed reforms and investments. Capital is risk-averse and Brazil has become a high-risk country."
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon