Brasília, 8 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - Yesterday president Fernando Henrique Cardoso rebuffed the idea that the Brazilian economy has stagnated. Using official statistics, he showed that cumulative GDP growth over the last 8 years has been 31%. "We did not grow all we wanted to grow, but we did grow. We need to grow more, that is true. But it is not true to say we did not grow."

Cardoso admitted that unemployment is a problem. However, he underscored the fact that if present unemployment, at 7%, is compared to other countries, US 5%, Europe 9% - 10%, and Chile 9%, the rate is not so bad. (AB)