Brazilian bank backtracks on move to stop financing defense industry

SAO PAULO — A leading Brazilian bank has reversed its decision to cease using its own resources to finance the defense industry, according to the government.

Defense News reported earlier this month that Banco do Brasil declared its intention to stop financing defense companies, citing governance and sustainability policies.

The U-turn follows a meeting held Feb. 26 involving the bank’s president, Tarciana Medeiros; Brazil’s vice president and the minister of development, industry, commerce and services, Geraldo Alckmin; the minister of the civil house, Rui Costa; and the defense minister, José Múcio Monteiro.

“The decision will prevent losses to companies in the sector that were at risk of losing contracts and will contribute to the sustainability and autonomy of the Defense Industrial Base,” the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services said in a statement this week.

The ministry noted the latest decision reinforces the importance of structured financial policies that ensure “not only the economic viability of companies but also national security and sovereignty.”

If the bank had gone through with its initial plan, the move would have impacted many Brazilian defense players and the Proex program — a government mechanism, managed by the bank, that provides resources for domestic companies exporting goods and services.

The Brazilian defense contractor Mac Jee has celebrated the decision.

“The Mac Jee Group believes that this measure is a crucial step towards the sustainability and autonomy of our Defense Industrial Base,” the company said in a statement. “The initiative also ensures the preservation of vital contracts for companies in the sector, contributing to the generation of foreign exchange and jobs in the country, in addition to strengthening national security and sovereignty.”

Banco do Brasil declined to comment for this story.

Pedro Pligher is a Latin America correspondent for Defense News. He has reported on politics, economics and the Brazilian small arms industry.

圣保罗——据政府消息，巴西一家大型银行已撤回停止使用自有资源为国防工业提供融资的决定。

《防务新闻》本月早些时候报道称，巴西银行宣布打算停止为国防公司提供资金，理由是公司治理和可持续发展政策存在问题。

此次政策转变源于 2 月 26 日举行的一次会议，与会者包括世界银行行长塔西亚娜·梅代罗斯、巴西副总统兼发展、工业、商业和服务部长杰拉尔多·阿尔克明、民政部长鲁伊·科斯塔以及国防部长若泽·穆西奥·蒙泰罗。

“这项决定将防止该行业面临失去合同风险的公司遭受损失，并将有助于国防工业基地的可持续发展和自主性，”发展、工业、商业和服务部本周在一份声明中表示。

该部指出，最新决定强调了结构化金融政策的重要性，这些政策不仅要确保企业的经济生存能力，还要确保国家安全和主权。

如果该银行按原计划实施，此举将对许多巴西国防企业和 Proex 计划（由该银行管理的政府机制，为出口商品和服务的国内公司提供资源）产生影响。

巴西国防承包商麦吉公司对这一决定表示欢迎。

“麦吉集团认为，这项措施是实现国防工业基地可持续发展和自主化的关键一步，”该公司在一份声明中表示。“该举措还能确保该行业企业的重要合同得以保留，有助于为国家创造外汇收入和就业机会，并加强国家安全和主权。”

巴西银行拒绝就此事置评。

佩德罗·普利格尔是《防务新闻》的拉丁美洲通讯员。他曾报道过政治、经济和巴西小型武器工业。