Brazil's Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles speaks during an event Caixa 2018 of Caixa Economica Federal bank in Brasilia, Brazil, February 1, 2018. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said on Friday that Brazil’s economy is well on the road to recovery and that he will decide in April whether to run for president in the October general election.

Speaking at a business conference in Rio, Meirelles said the need to overhaul Brazil’s costly pension system will become a big campaign issue if Congress does not approve the government’s pension reform bill, which is due to face a first vote in the lower house in the week of February 19. He said he sees signs of growing support for the bill that has failed to muster the needed two-thirds majority so far.