Categories: Editor's Picks

Dilma Rousseff: Big Shoes Too

Dilma Rousseff became the first female president of Brazil in October 2010.  As successor to the popular and charismatic Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, she had big shoes to fill. It can now be safely said that although their styles are different, Rousseff has not disappointed her people and has the approval ratings to prove it. The President has been able to keep up the momentum of the previous administration which was instrumental in lifting so many Brazilians out of poverty and creating a fast-growing and dynamic economy.

Before her election success, President Rousseff had been a career civil servant. She was a very effective chief-of-staff to Lula, her mentor, for five years and very much his choice for the job. They shared an unshakable belief that Brazil’s major challenges were at home and that the country needed to mobilise its considerable resources and potential for the benefit of all.

Efficiency, honesty and transparency are the watchwords of the Rousseff administration and she has always waged war on corruption. There is a sense of justice, opportunity and equality in contemporary Brazil that makes the people very proud. This contrasts with a sense of powerlessness and exasperation of many people in austerity Europe. Although the economy stalled in 2012, Brazilians are more than comforted by the fact that unemployment is at such a very low level (less than 5% as of December 2012).

“Efficiency, honesty and transparency are the watchwords of the Rousseff administration and she has always waged war on corruption.”

Expectations in Brazil, the world’s sixth largest economy, are high and the creation of new jobs is, of course, of paramount importance. Significantly, Rousseff has been encouraging entrepreneurship in a big way and the number of start-ups is increasing dramatically. At CFI.co we believe this is the surest way for Brazil to move forward.

As soon-to-be hosts of the Soccer World Cup and the Olympics, Brazilian pride will take another boost and Rousseff and her government look set to deliver further on the aspirations of their people. As for the economy, Rousseff has certainly kept the train on the line during her presidency and avoided over-heating. She has promised a PIBao grandao (a big fat GDP) in 2013 to make up for the disappointment of last year and has the skills, authority and determination to see that this happens.

CFI

Recent Posts

When Trust Erodes: Unpacking the Anatomy of Corporate Scandals

Corporate scandals, from Wells Fargo’s fake accounts to Enron’s fraudulent accounting, shatter public trust and…

4 days ago

The Evolution of Elite: A History of Hedge Funds

From Alfred Winslow Jones’s 1949 experiment to today’s trillion-dollar hedge fund industry, the story of…

5 days ago

The Vanishing Vault: Has Digital Banking Closed More Than Just Branches?

As physical bank branches vanish from high streets across Europe and North America, the shift…

2 weeks ago

AI Dividends Arrive: Big Tech’s Earnings Surge Shows Power of Scale and Strategy

Meta, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon deliver robust earnings, reinforcing their central role in markets—and highlighting…

2 weeks ago

Sango Capital: Reframing Africa’s Investment Landscape for a New Global Cycle

As global capital seeks diversified growth and risk-adjusted returns, Sango Capital reaffirms Africa’s position as…

4 weeks ago

The Janus-Faced Banker: Hjalmar Schacht and the Tragedy of German Economics

Hjalmar Schacht, a brilliant economist who rescued Germany from hyperinflation, ultimately became an enabler of…

4 weeks ago