Corruption allegations do not embarrass Lula.
The former president said he would be embarrassed if the allegations against members of his government who remained in Dilma's administration were not being investigated.
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said this afternoon that he feels "no embarrassment" about corruption allegations targeting members of his government. "I would be embarrassed if they weren't investigating," he stated. "The important thing is that it doesn't go unpunished," he added.
He made these statements after the opening ceremony of the 1st Colombia-Brazil Investment Forum in Bogotá, where he argued that South American countries should use part of their international reserves to finance the infrastructure projects they so desperately need to accelerate their economic growth. Lula complained that most of Brazil's reserves are invested in US Treasury bonds, yielding "a pittance of interest." He commented that it would be better to invest in Brazilian bonds to earn more.
To expand investments between the two countries, Lula suggested to the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, that he reach an understanding with President Dilma Rousseff to create a permanent forum and promote annual meetings of business leaders. "I am convinced that President Dilma has a vocation for the integration of South America because it is in her formation, in her ideological vision." For the former president, the region "no longer needs Bolívar's fiery sword, but investment banks."
Alongside Lula, Santos declared that when asked what he wants to be when he grows up, he replies that he wants to be like Lula: finish his term with 80% approval and reduce poverty by 22%. "But of course I want to do it in four years and not eight," he added.