‘They are putting out the fire with gasoline’, says Luiza Trajano

Businesswoman Luiza Trajano, president of the board of directors of Magazine Luiza (), views with concern the lack of alignment between the States and the federal government and believes that there is a lack of unity at the critical moment facing Brazil due to the pandemic of coronavirus. “(The country) is on fire, but instead of pouring water, they are pouring gasoline with all these discussions,” said the businesswoman, who participated in the series of live interviews on Wednesday 6 Quarantine economyfrom the newspaper The state of S. Paulo.

For Luiza, it is necessary to provide predictability to companies so that they resume their activities and for the population to carry out isolation properly. According to her, in the midst of the political crisis, the government is not clearly communicating the actions to mitigate the effects of covid-19.

Read the main parts of the interview below:

We have been in quarantine for 50 days. Does the economy support more time of partial closing?

Now there is no way to discuss whether the best shape is horizontal or vertical (isolation). What must be discussed is the predictability of this resumption, even for people to respect what was agreed. Without clear rules, people do not obey isolation, they do not wear masks. I spoke to BNDES staff to ask why the money does not go to small businesses. The decision has to be made. Because otherwise, companies will not be able to keep jobs.

We have seen many antagonistic statements. Does that get in the way?

One of the things that saddened me the last few days was the feeling of seeing that (the country) is on fire, but instead of pouring water, they are pouring gas with all these discussions. You have to unite everyone, regardless of the party. I don’t feel like there is a great union. Governors now have to take (clear) measures.

What measures has Magazine Luiza been taking to mitigate?

He was satisfied with our team because he has adapted to this reality. If Brazil is not doing well, it is not going well for us. Our team acted quickly to see what our market could do to help. In 8 days they took out an already existing project, “Magazine e Você” and created “Parceiro Magalu”, with much simpler rules to join. In one week, we had 160,000 independent workers, who started selling our products, and 15,000 companies.

We are on the eve of mother’s day. Will it be a lost year?

I think so. I have guided the sale of gifts, to sell on WhatsApp … We will lose a lot. I think 2020 will be a year that, apart from pharmacies and markets, will have a lot of problems. I am very concerned about small and medium-sized companies, I am looking to participate in events to help in some way, to publicize government measures.

Is it possible to quickly reinvent yourself in a scenario like the current one?

Brazil has an impressive entrepreneurial spirit. We need to use that moment to reflect. I even passed a questionnaire (for entrepreneurs): two things I did not do and should have done, two things I did and should continue to do, and two things I did and should not have done.

Much is said about extensive government assistance to companies. Should the government demand compensation for the money it distributes?

I think “don’t shoot” should be the only thing tied up. For that, it would have to put Banco do Brasil to analyze the companies. And you need to follow the process of how this (government) money gets to the top.

We are in an intense political crisis. Ms. Do you think this could worsen the economic scenario?

Deeper than the coronavirus, I do not know, because it is already something very serious. This crisis disturbs, divides the population, it seems that we are in the electoral period. It is like a net: at that moment, if we leave a hole, many fish will come out.

The information is from the newspaper. The state of S. Paulo.