Brazil's Guedes says improved deficit result due to recovery, spending control

BRASILIA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Brazil's Economy Minister Paulo Guedes said the lower primary budget deficit in 2021 was not due to inflation, but to the recovery of the economy and the government's control over spending.

Guedes said wage increases being demanded in the public sector were senseless with the fight against COVID-19 still going on, "now that we are facing this crisis with the Omicron variant." (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; editing by Diane Craft)