O jantar do PIB com Lula

Sixteen entrepreneurs arrived at the Alvorada Palace at 7:30 PM on Monday, punctual except for André Esteves, who arrived a little later. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his wife, Sandra de Oliveira Lula, descended the stairs around 7:40 PM. She greeted everyone cordially but did not stay for dinner. The President appeared to be in good health.

At the cocktail, he inquired about the impact of Trump's tariffs on his guests. Lula circled around various tables and paid attention to everyone. The small talk lasted briefly before moving to the oval table where they would eat. Seats were pre-marked. Joesley Batista sat directly facing Lula. To José Seripieri, Júnior da Amil, and André Esteves, the President's daughter, Juliana, did not stay for dinner.

Edinho Silva, the president of the PT, was the first to speak - but only to ask if anyone wanted to start or if he should "volunteer" himself. Since no one volunteered, Edinho asked Esteves to begin. The Banqueiro of BTG praised the Government, stating that Lula had ensured democracy and that he was very concerned about "the Brazilian institutional question."

He also noted that the economy in general was doing well, with record employment, inflation under control, and robust reserves, repeating his typical public statement: that the only thing that needs fixing (the fiscal framework) "is very easy to do." After the coctail, Lula inquired about the tariffs' impact on his guests. Joesley Batista, the controler of JBS, gave a more realistic tone, stating that there was a huge concern about public accounts, and that concern "is no longer just of the entrepreneurs, but of Faria Lima, it has reached the common people."

He spoke briefly and simply, but in a surgical manner. Next came José Seripieri. The Amil controller mentioned that everyone there had earned a lot of money "in the Lula governments," and that the President is the rare politician with sensitivity to look at the poor. He also repeated what he had said in other similar meetings: that many entrepreneurs complain of being full.

"None of us came here by bus." After Júnior, Aloizio Mercadante, the president of BNDES, spoke, acknowledging the need for fiscal adjustment since "interests do not fall on the ledger." Roberto Setúbal, the chairman of Itaú, said he was happy to see the President healthy, "skinny," after years without seeing him. The others made more protocolary speeches, and finally, Edinho gave the floor back to Esteves, "to tell the good news."

The bank manager smiled drunk. "I think what Edinho is saying is from my meeting this weekend with the President Trump." Turning to Lula, Esteves said that Trump commented that "Lula is a hard guy, but it's okay. If I were in his place, I would also be hard with him." Esteves continued, "And when he spoke of the Mr. President, he spoke with admiration, I felt even a certain affection..."

When it was time for Lula to speak, he said little. He acknowledged the concern about the fiscal framework but said he has a "personal commitment" to the stability of public accounts. He also reminisced about his past achievements, such as being "the only G20 president to deliver an 8-year primary fiscal surplus." It's a shame he didn't do it this time.

The dinner took a serious tone, with several jokes. The entrepreneurs did not make any direct criticisms of their opponents. One entrepreneur commented to another, "He will lose the election. It's not that he's old, he's disconnected. He doesn't understand the size of the problem, and a wave of the right could arrive in the final stretch."