Sergipe is throwing a beautiful party for Lula, says caravan coordinator.

Former President Lula toured several municipalities in Sergipe during his caravan through the Northeast. On his second day in the state, this Monday the 21st, he participated in public events and received tributes in Lagarto, Itabaiana, and Nossa Senhora da Glória, locations that brought together thousands of people to see and hear the most popular president in the country's history.

During the journey between events, he also received a lot of affection and even made stops in Campo do Brito and São Domingos, cities where the population took to the streets to await the passage of the caravan.watch here).

According to the national vice-president of the PT (Workers' Party) and coordinator of the caravan, Márcio Macêdo, Sergipe is putting on a beautiful celebration to welcome Lula. "I am very happy, with a joy that overflows, because our state, which is the smallest in the federation, is holding beautiful events, a sea of ​​red people, thousands of people, who are coming to hear the president and renew their hope. This caravan, which will tour the entire Northeast, is Lula's moment to listen to his people, look into the eyes of the population, and bring hope in such difficult times that we are living through," he emphasized.

Wherever he went, Lula was accompanied by both the people and the main political leaders of the state, such as Governor Jackson Barreto, Vice-Governor Belivaldo Chagas, the president of the Legislative Assembly, State Representative Luciano Bispo, the vice-mayor of Aracaju, Eliane Aquino, the state president of the PT (Workers' Party), Rogério Carvalho, federal and state representatives, as well as mayors from various municipalities.

In Lagarto, the former president received an honorary doctorate from the Federal University of Sergipe for his work expanding higher education in the country. In Itabaiana, while participating in an event at the city's Athletic Association, Lula was honored by the youth and also received the title of citizen of the municipality of Riachão do Dantas. In Nossa Senhora da Glória, the political leader was "crowned" by a 92-year-old cowboy with a leather hat and a leather jacket, received tributes from the women of the Sertão region and the Small Farmers Movement, as well as a medal of honor and the title of citizen of Glória.

In every city, when addressing the population, Lula recalled how much the lives of Brazilians improved during the PT governments – between 2003 and 2015. He highlighted the growth in public university places (from 3,5 million to 8 million), the Prouni program, the expansion of technical schools, actions aimed at rural workers, the "Minha Casa Minha Vida" program, the Bolsa Família program, among other programs of his government.

"Brazil cannot continue with its inferiority complex."

He went on to explain the purpose of the caravan and the intention to listen to Brazilians, to learn firsthand about the problems the people have been experiencing. "The only thing I can tell you is that I decided to do another Citizenship Caravan, transformed into a caravan without a name. Why did I decide to travel? Because I did a caravan in 1992, I traveled 91 kilometers in Brazil, by bus, car, train and boat. Why did I do it with the caravan? When you're a politician, the most you know are airports. People end up not knowing Brazil," the former president said.

"I traveled, I lost elections. I was tired of losing elections. I won an election, and the success of our government was simply doing the obvious, what everyone knows needs to be done. There are people who think the obvious thing to do is govern for 35% of the population, or for the market, for the richest, only for large landowners," he concluded.

Lula also spoke about a possible candidacy in 2018 and reiterated: "I don't even know if I can be a candidate." "If I am chosen, I will win and I will do more than I did in my first term. I will prove it."

Furthermore, the former president criticized the proposal made by Michel Temer's coup government this Monday to privatize Eletrobras. "I just heard the news that Temer just announced the sale of Eletrobras. I need to prove to these people that we don't have to shut down the shipbuilding industry, we have to get some shame and work, because this country can be much better and cannot continue with this inferiority complex," he said.

Therefore, Lula emphasized, it's necessary to define, as soon as the election is won, which side you're on. "I always make an analogy between politics and football. In politics, you have to say which side you're on. I've never been afraid to say that I'm president for everyone, but everyone has to know that my way of governing is like a mother's heart. The government has to govern for everyone, but especially for the people who need it most," he reiterated.

Déda and Dutra

In his speech in Lagarto, Lula became emotional again when speaking about former governor Marcelo Déda and José Eduardo Dutra. "I want to dedicate this title to the Brazilian people, to the students, I want to include Déda and Dutra," he said. He also recalled the efforts made by the federal government, when governed by the PT, which allowed the beginning of the great change in public education, especially in the Northeast.

"The number of students enrolled in higher education increased from 3,5 million in 2003 to approximately 8 million by 2014. This is still insufficient; it's still a source of shame to have so few students in universities."

"Brazil needs to understand that education is not an expense, it's an investment, and that this country will only be great and competitive with a modern society, living with a standard of decency and citizenship, when university ceases to be a privilege and becomes a right for all," the former president reiterated.

For Marcio Macedo, the event at UFS in Lagarto was symbolic because it involved "the creator visiting the creation, and receiving from the creation its greatest honor, which is the title of Doctor Honoris Causa."

"This campus has a very strong significance because, in addition to its educational function and being a process of vertical ascension, giving the children of the people access to the University, it is transforming Lagarto and its entire region into a service hub, developing the region as a whole. I know this university well."

Foresight

In Itabaiana, delivering a message to the current government, Lula demanded accountability regarding Social Security. "Social Security is in deficit because the economy isn't growing, employment isn't growing. When I was president, we created jobs, increased workers' salaries, and raised the minimum wage." "Make the economy grow again, generate employment," he concluded.

"You know this isn't just talk; you know what Lula did here in Itabaiana. He built a university campus here so that the children of the people could have access to higher education, and also because it helps develop the city and the Sergipe hinterland," said the vice-president of the PT and coordinator of the caravan, Marcio Macedo.