Lula can be compared to Gandhi and Mandela, says Mercadante.
The president of BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank) states that Lula is consolidating his position as a global leader in the defense of democracy, multilateralism, and social justice.
247 - The president of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Aloizio Mercadante, stated that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva can be compared to historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. The statement was made in opinion article published in FSP, in which he analyzes the Brazilian president's speech at the UN General Assembly and the country's role on the international stage.
According to Mercadante, Lula received enthusiastic applause in New York when he defended a multipolar, peaceful world order centered on social and environmental development. The BNDES director highlighted that the Brazilian president presented non-negotiable principles, such as sovereignty and democracy, at a time marked by the escalation of authoritarianism in the United States under Donald Trump and the rise of the far right worldwide.
"Lula emerged as a great defender of a multilateral, multipolar, peaceful world order centered on social and environmental development," Mercadante wrote in the article.
The historical parallel and the current risks
In the text published in SheetMercadante warns that the current global scenario bears similarities to the 1920s and 1930s, when economic crises, the collapse of democracies, and war weakened international institutions. According to him, the so-called "Trumpist order" threatens not only the economy and trade, but also peace, sustainable development, and social inclusion.
The president of BNDES emphasized that Brazil has served as an essential counterpoint to these threats, with solid institutions that guarantee respect for the popular will. He also mentioned the recent social mobilizations in defense of democracy and republican values, highlighting the urgency of a new international order based on the peaceful resolution of conflicts and the fight against inequalities.
Gandhi, Mandela, and Lula as role models for the Global South.
Mercadante recalled that Gandhi and Mandela were initially persecuted and imprisoned, but became universal leaders against colonialism and racism. Gandhi established himself as a symbol of peaceful resistance, and Mandela, after 27 years in prison, emerged as a global inspiration for social justice and racial equality.
By drawing parallels between Lula and these trajectories, the BNDES director highlighted recent achievements in Brazilian foreign policy, such as the strengthening of the BRICS, the holding of COP30 in the Amazon, the leadership of the G20, and the progress in negotiations between Mercosur and the European Union. According to him, Lula's life experience and the results of social policies during his governments lend legitimacy to the president in building a more just and sustainable future.
"Lula's Brazil could be at the forefront against the unilateralist and anti-democratic barbarity that weighs on the world," Mercadante wrote.
Brazil in contrast to Trump's USA
The article published in Sheet It also cites analyses from international media outlets such as The Economist, e The New York Times, which highlight Brazil as an example of democratic maturity in contrast to Trump's United States. Mercadante noted that even the US president is now willing to negotiate with Lula, which represents progress in bilateral relations.
The president of BNDES concluded his analysis by referring to the thoughts of sociologist Domenico De Masi, who believes that Brazil preserves cultural values of solidarity, joy, and receptiveness that are unique in the world. According to Mercadante, this dimension reinforces the country's role as a global leadership alternative in the defense of peace, social inclusion, and democracy.
"The planet deserves Brazil, and the world needs Lula," he concluded.
