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Good morning! President Lula has a history of making sexist remarks. The latest came yesterday when he framed his pick of Gleisi Hoffmann as his new liaison with Congress as using a “pretty woman” to smooth relations. As reporter Isabela Cruz noted this weekend, Lula is losing support among female voters. Comments like this won’t help.

Lula launches credit-boosting program. Will it fuel inflation instead?

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday signed a provisional decree expanding payroll-deductible loans for formal private-sector workers, a move aimed at easing access to cheaper credit. The loans will be backed in part by Brazil’s FGTS mandatory severance fund, and the government will create a credit marketplace on the country’s labor registration app.

👉 Why it matters. The measure comes as Lula’s approval rating sinks to a personal low, including the two terms he served from 2003 to 2010. It marks yet another attempt to spur economic growth through his signature strategy: boosting consumption and expanding access to low-cost credit.

Yes, but … The move comes at a delicate moment for the economy. Inflation is already accelerating, with consumer prices rising more than 5% in the 12 months through February. Encouraging more spending could make it even harder for the Central Bank to rein in inflation, despite government assurances that the program will be phased in gradually to avoid economic disruptions.

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