Lula on TV

The rain beats heavily against the living room windows. Spring began rainy and with mild temperatures in the southern regions of Brazil. Sitting in a chair—since the sofa is being refurbished after years of companionship—I wait for the news to begin, announced to start in three minutes. I am then surprised by a high-pitched, unmistakable sound: tun, tun, tun... accompanied by a voiceover that further captures my attention.

"The national radio and television network is currently being set up for the address by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva."

Then President Lula appears, probably in his office at the Palácio do Planalto. He is wearing a very well-tailored blue suit—more light than navy—a white shirt with a collar that fits snugly around his neck, and a blue, green, white, and yellow tie with a perfect knot.

"My friends," he begins, in his unmistakable voice.

“I am speaking to you again to discuss the tariffs imposed by the United States government against sectors of the Brazilian economy, which have affected our companies and jobs in the country. As you know, we have never stopped using diplomatic channels to negotiate with the US government, both before and now, during the period when the tariffs are in effect. And this dialogue continues. I will soon have a conversation with President Donald Trump.”

Lula elaborates on the points of the negotiation, mentions the work done by Geraldo Alckmin and Brazilian business leaders, pauses dramatically, and then continues:

“But we need to call a spade a spade. This attack against Brazil, against our companies and jobs, only happened because Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro influenced the US government in an attempt to blackmail Brazil into releasing convicts who attacked our democracy with the attempted coup after his father's defeat in the 2022 elections. This needs to be very clear. My friends, the main person responsible for the tariff hikes against Brazil is Eduardo Bolsonaro and the criminal coup movement he is part of.”

I'm not sure if this statement actually happened. Maybe I dreamt it, during a rare moment of deep sleep. But I think it's necessary. Perhaps not exactly in these words, nor even with Lula as spokesperson. But it's necessary to make it clear who is truly responsible for the attack we are facing today from the American government, with the intensity we are experiencing.

It's possible it was just a dream. Perhaps fueled by a recent survey conducted in Paraná, in which 30% of respondents pointed to Lula as the main culprit for the fare increases. A narrative clearly fabricated by a very well-structured communication system in the state, always favorable to the propagation of right-wing messages. A system, incidentally, that even gives space for state deputies to take the floor and, brazenly, attribute to the Lula government a blame that is not his.

And this reality, I fear, may not be limited to Paraná alone. Therefore, it demands special attention, so that the false perception that the government is to blame for what it is actually addressing with absolute correctness and determination in defense of Brazil and its Brazilian men and women does not take hold.

Dreams... how I love them.