Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Monday criticized the "pessimism" over the nation's economic performance this year.

She reminded doubters that Brazil was one of the developing and emerging nations that grew the most last year, registering a growth rate of 2.5 percent.

She said many people had also feared a disastrous World Cup, hosted by 12 Brazilian cities in June and July, but the event turned out to be a success.

"The same pessimism about the World Cup is now present over the economy, but it's even more serious because the economy is made of expectations," Rousseff told reporters in an online interview.

On Monday, financial analysts predicted inflation in Brazil this year would be up to 6.41 percent, very close to the upper limit of a target range set by the government, which is 4.5 percent plus or minus two percentage points.

Rousseff acknowledged that inflation is "at the upper limit of the target (figure)," but she said it is on a downward trajectory.

Rousseff is running for reelection and most polls showed she is the favorite to win a close first round or runoff against her Social Democratic Party rival, former senator Aecio Neves.