FIESP AND CIESP HEAL RIFT, UNANIMOUSLY ELECT PAULO SKAF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 SAO PAULO 000639 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NSC FOR TOMASULO STATE PASS USTR FOR KDUCKWORTH DEPT OF TREASURY FOR JHOEK USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC USDOC ALSO FOR 3134/USFCS/OIO STATE PASS EXIMBANK STATE PASS OPIC FOR DMORONSE, NRIVERA, CMERVENNE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ELAB ETRD EFIN EIND BR SUBJECT: FIESP AND CIESP HEAL RIFT, UNANIMOUSLY ELECT PAULO SKAF PRESIDENT OF BOTH SAO PAULO INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Sao Paulo State Federation of Industries (FIESP) almost unanimously reelected Paulo Skaf to a four-year term as President. The Sao Paulo State Industry Center (CIESP) also overwhelmingly chose Skaf to lead it, ending a three-year breach between the two organizations. Skaf's election had the support of 122 out of 124 FIESP sectoral employer associations and 97 percent votes of CIESP-affiliated small and medium-sized industrial companies. Skaf is convinced that a minimum agenda for Brazil's development should include structural adjustments that cannot be postponed any longer. The agenda specifies fiscal and tax reform that will lower public debt and reduce the tax burden on the productive sector, reduce interest rates drastically, increase infrastructure investments, and expand exports in a sustained manner. Skaf expressed concern about the risk of repeat blackout in the absence of adequate investment for electric generation. FIESP is preparing a plan to produce energy from an alternative source within two to three years. This energy is expected to come from abundant sugar cane bagasse available at the sugar and alcohol mills. Pressure from FIESP will continue on the Lula administration for the implementation of a developmental policy not only of interest to the productive sector but also to the society as a whole. End Summary. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (U) Sao Paulo's powerful industrial associations, which account for more than 40 percent of Brazil's industrial production and nearly 34 percent of the country's GDP, are represented by two bodies, FIESP and CIESP. The organizations have a symbolic relationship, sharing the same board of directors, support staff, and building. FIESP, a federation of 124 sectoral employer associations founded in 1942, is the most influential industrial organization in the country and is active in lobbying the GoB and the Brazilian Congress to advance members' interests. FIESP also acts as the bargaining agent for management in virtually all sectoral labor negotiations. FIESP's budget for 2007 is estimated at USD 500 million, contributed by the sectoral employer associations. These funds also maintain and run two industry-sponsored organizations: the National Industrial Apprenticeship Service (SENAI),an educational organization for the training, development and specialization of both semi-skilled and skilled workers; and the Social Welfare Services (SESI) for industry workers and supplementary health and education services for workers and their families. ¶3. (U) The SENAI-SP system's 150 units enroll 700,000 students a year. These students get free training in 45 technical-level careers and 31 Industrial Apprenticeship courses. The system also maintains four college-level courses, as well as continuing-studies courses in the fields of graphics, mechatronics, fashion, and the environment. The SESI-SP system includes 215 schools that boast an enrollment of 190,000 students. It also promotes the so-called "Global Action" initiative in partnership with Globo TV Network and the Roberto Marinho Foundation. SESI-SP health services include dental clinics, doctors' offices, infirmaries, laboratories and mobile units. SESI manages programs on "School Health" and "Company Health." It also promotes workers safety, health and rehabilitation activities. ¶4. (U) CIESP, founded in 1928, has over 9,600 affiliated small and medium-sized industrial companies. With an annual budget of about USD 35 million, CIESP operates 42 regional offices that provide associates with services in the areas of foreign trade, social responsibility, technology, and infrastructure. CIESP also provides regional support, legal advice and technical assistance to its member companies. HISTORIC VOTING AND REUNIFICATION OF FIESP AND CIESP SAO PAULO 00000639 002 OF 004 -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) On May 29, Paulo Skaf, 50, was re-elected President of the Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (FIESP) and elected for his first term as President of the Sao Paulo Industry Center (CIESP) from 2007 to 2011. His new term will begin on September 28. This time Skaf will serve as President for both of Sao Paulo's most important industrial bodies after three years of unprecedented internal mistrust and separation. Skaf's election was not challenged by any other candidate for the job. FIESP'S Electoral College, consisting of 124 sectoral employer associations, voted almost unanimously for Skaf, giving him 96.7 percent of valid votes. His victory in CIESP was even stronger, with 3,659 company votes representing 99 percent of total valid votes. Although FIESP and CIESP conduct separate elections with different sets of electors, the two have always elected the same President, the only exception being in 2004. ¶6. (U) Traditionally, the voting has been pro-forma, ratifying a single, agreed candidate for President of both entities. However, in 2004, the two associations elected potentially antagonistic leadership. Paulo Skaf, who at that time was friendly to the Lula administration, was elected to head FIESP, while Claudio Vaz, favored and supported by the most of the business elite, was elected president of CIESP, thus dividing the leadership and weakening the voice of Sao Paulo industry. Friction between the two entities was such that for a time, post was unable to organize meetings involving both groups and had to engage with each separately. However, in the course of the past three years, the business community as a whole concluded that Skaf had been working assiduously in defense of the industrial sector by leading a movement to meet the expectations of the productive sector. Skaf expressed concern about the heavy tax burden, high interest rates on borrowed money, an unfavorable exchange rate, and an unresponsive bureaucracy. The current president of CIESP, Claudio Vaz, congratulated Skaf on his impressive electoral victory and emphasized "the level of maturity that both associations had gained" in the course of past three years, and that the convergence around the name of Skaf for his next term is vital for industry. "There isn't room for controversy or division. Skaf conquered the trust of the business community," observed Vaz. ¶7. (U) FIESP is the more significant of the two associations. Like the industrial federations of other Brazilian states, FIESP, in theory, is part of, and subordinated to, the Brazilian National Confederation of Industries (CNI). In practice, however, FIESP, which includes companies representing forty percent of half of Brazil's Industrial production and thirty-six percent of the country's GDP, is the most influential industrial representative body in Brazil. THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME -------------- ¶8. (U) Paulo Skaf, 50, the self-made son of a Lebanese immigrant was former President of the Brazilian Textile Industry and Garments Association (ABIT). He said that his reelection with unanimous support from both FIESP and CIESP members strengthens his hand to pressure the GOB to adopt a tax policy that encourages instead of hindering economic growth and productive activities. He said that the true and effective solution to taxation problem is a wide-ranging reform of the tx system, one that includes key fiscal issues. Government expenditures are growing faster than government revenue. It is up to the population to define what they expect the state to do, how large it will be, how much it will cost, and how it will be financed. ¶9. (U) Skaf is convinced that a minimum agenda for development should include four structural adjustments that may not be postponed any longer: (1) fiscal and tax reform that will lower public debt and reduce the tax burden on the productive sector; (2) A credit SAO PAULO 00000639 003 OF 004 policy that includes lowering interest rates drastically; (3) infrastructure improvement; and (4) A trade policy that may increase exports in a sustained manner. Skaf also referred to a study by FIESP that increased his concern about the public debt, fiscal and tax issues. He noted that the GOB collects almost 40 percent of everything the Brazilians are able to produce. The usual explanation the government authorities is that "we're preserving the primary surplus." He said that since 1995 the public debt jumped from 30 percent to more than 50 percent of GDP. More serious still, expenses continued expanding at a 5.5 percent yearly rate. ¶10. (U) According to Skaf, infrastructure is one of Brazil's bottlenecks and the freight transportation system, such as it stands today, generates significant economic and competitiveness losses and increases the so called "Brazil Cost." He said it was imperative that the country must urgently invest in ports, railroads, and terminals. These investments would reduce operating costs and boost efficiency, making Brazilian exports more competitive and cheaper in foreign markets. He warned about the risk of a repeat "blackout" in the absence of investment for electricity generation, transmission and distribution. According to FIESP estimates, Brazil needs to add between 6 percent and 7 percent to its energy matrix every year in order to be able to adequately promote growth. ¶11. (U) In a visit to Washington earlier this year, Skaf said that the protection of IPR is in Brazil's interest. According to him, the Brazilian economy is a "victim" of thousands of illegal and counterfeit products. Imports of Chinese products, besides their artificially lower prices, often disrespect internationally established brands and patents. CHALLENGES -------------- ¶12. (U) Addressing the FIESP audience after the reelection victory, Skaf said that it will be up to the Brazilians to decide what kind of a future awaits not only them but their children. It goes without saying that to consistently achieve public account surpluses, control inflation, honor both domestic and external debt payment schedules, and keep commitments made to multilateral credit organizations are all essential. However, a country that boasts the fifth largest population in the world cannot afford to assess economic performance only on the basis of tables and numbers that relate to some index oscillation or the other. "We need to reach for more, much more, and correct past mistakes as well as economic policy concepts that both the past and the current Brazilian administrations have stubbornly held," concluded Skaf. ¶13. (U) Skaf said he will provide the federal and state governments with a proposal to intensify investments in alternative sources of energy to avoid a crisis in 2010. The plan consists of increasing investments in the production of energy from sugarcane bagasse collected from sugar and alcohol mills. Skaf believes that in two or three years, this source could produce double the amount of energy then that expected to be produced by the two hydro energy plants projected to be built on Madeira river. These hydro plants are expected to become operational only in 2012. FIESP President's plan would cost around USD 5 to 6 billion and he believes he can mobilize the business community to make these investments provided the GOB would provide tax incentives. COMMENT -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Skaf earned a second four-year term after uniting FIESP and CIESP into a single body as was the case before 2004. He received unprecedented support from the business community as a whole and also from the outgoing President of CIESP, who acknowledged Skaf's resourcefulness and ability to defend the country's productive sector. He's been given a mandate to continue pressuring the federal government to announce a development agenda SAO PAULO 00000639 004 OF 004 to establish an efficient credit policy to finance both businesses and the consumer, as the economy's major source of fuel. His critical posture in FIESP is expected to be more politically oriented in defense of not only the industry but also of the society in general. ¶15. (U) This cable was coordinated with Embassy Brasilia. HELLING