Lula: If there's one party that fought against corruption, it was the PT.

In an emotional speech, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the 6th National Congress of the Workers' Party (PT) in São Paulo, reaffirming the strength and social legacy of the Workers' Party. "2017 is the year I will dedicate to rebuilding this party and making people believe that we have far more virtues than defects," he said. "I am very proud of our history. There is no party in the world like the PT, which gave dignity to the Brazilian left," he added. Lula challenged his detractors who accuse him of corruption without proof, stating that the party has always been an example in such cases: "If there is a party that has fought against corruption, that party is called the Workers' Party, and I am very proud of that," he said.

January 20, 2017, 10:16 AMUpdated July 04, 2018, 01:48 pm

In an emotional speech, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the 6th National Congress of the Workers' Party (PT) in São Paulo, reaffirming the strength and social legacy of the Workers' Party; "2017 is the year I will dedicate to rebuilding this party and making people believe that we have far more virtues than defects," he said; "I am very proud of our history. There is no party in the world like the PT, which gave dignity to the Brazilian left," he added; Lula challenged detractors who accuse him, without proof, of corruption and says that the party has always been an example in these cases: "If there is a party that fought against corruption, that party is called the Workers' Party and I am very proud of that," he said (Photo: Giuliana Miranda).

247 - In an emotional speech, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the 6th National Congress of the Workers' Party (PT) in São Paulo, reaffirming the strength and social legacy of the Workers' Party. "2017 is the year I will dedicate to rebuilding this party and making people believe that we have far more virtues than flaws," he said. "I am very proud of our history. There is no party in the world like the PT, which has given dignity to the Brazilian left," he added. Lula challenged his detractors who accuse him, without proof, of corruption, saying that the party has always been an example in such cases: "If there is a party that has fought against corruption, that party is the Workers' Party, and I am very proud of that," he said.

Greeted with shouts of "Come back, Lula" and "Brazil Urgent, Lula for president," the former president called for unity among members of the Workers' Party (PT) and a willingness to fight for the ideals of development and social justice championed by the party. Lula expressed pride in the social legacy of the party's governments. "Those who have the legacy we have have already earned the right to make a new proposal. We transformed the way public administration is conducted in this country, from our municipalities to the federal government. We must be proud of our history," he stated.

Lula also asked PT members to continue pressing for early presidential elections: "We can't wait until 2018. We need to know if we have the strength to bring them forward. We can endure it. But Brazilians can't wait," he said. Leading in all opinion polls for the election, Lula called for unity among party members and said that the time has come for the party to regain the trust and hope of the Brazilian people in what the PT has always represented.

Despite the enthusiasm, Lula did not fail to address the party's problems. The honorary president of the PT asked that each member deeply reflect on what has happened to the party, so that mistakes can be corrected and the PT can once again become the party that inspires hope in society.