Discussion · Government Orders
Carlos Leitão Liberal
“Our economy was weak recently partly because government spending dropped, but that is temporary. A bigger problem is that our exports to the United States are falling. Because of trade uncertainty, businesses are also not investing in new equipment. I want to know what my colleague thinks we should do about this lack of business investment.”
“Madam Speaker, we could have said a lot of things, but we are short on time. I will just say two things. First, when we break down GDP, we should note that one of the sources of weakness in the first quarter was government spending. We know this is temporary. It is an adjustment, and it will change. However, I agree with my colleague that one of the main issues is exports. Indeed, exports to the United States are a significant problem, and it will need to be addressed over time. I would like to know what my colleague thinks about private investment, especially in a climate of uncertainty. After all, the decline in exports and the trade war are also creating a great deal of uncertainty. Another trend we are seeing is a freeze on private investment, particularly in machinery, equipment, and so on. What does my colleague have to say about that?”
Madam Speaker, we could have said a lot of things, but we are short on time. I will just say two things. First, when we break down GDP, we should note that one of the sources of weakness in the first quarter was government spending. We know this is temporary. It is an adjustment, and it will change. However, I agree with my colleague that one of the main issues is exports. Indeed, exports to the United States are a significant problem, and it will need to be addressed over time. I would like to know what my colleague thinks about private investment, especially in a climate of uncertainty. After all, the decline in exports and the trade war are also creating a great deal of uncertainty. Another trend we are seeing is a freeze on private investment, particularly in machinery, equipment, and so on. What does my colleague have to say about that?