Lula: 'These were years of destroyed lives. And we are here, with our heads held high.'
"It is up to us to show once again how to govern a country by taking care of the people who need it," said the president-elect.
São Paulo – President-elect and certified Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said he will work to make Brazil “a happy country again”. Lula spoke about the country during the closing ceremony of the Transition Cabinet groups, this Tuesday (13). “It’s four years. I will dedicate myself day and night. There will be no rain, sun, nothing that will stop me from making this country happy again,” he said.
Lula recounted his political history, from his first election in 2002 to yesterday's inauguration ceremony. "It is up to us to show once again how to govern a country by caring for the people who need it," he said. He argued that he won his third term because "the people remember the good times they lived through." In saying that "the inferiority complex is over" and about restoring the self-esteem of Brazilians, he pointed out that the country needs to regain prestige with the United States, China, France, Germany, Argentina, and the whole world, and "become respected again with sovereignty."
The head of government, who takes office on January 1st, confirmed the nomination of Aloizio Mercadante to head the BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank) with a provocation aimed at financial capital agents. "Whoever wants to make money, come to Brazil. Invest your money. This country has room for everyone," he said.
“I wanted to say to the glorious market, which sometimes seems invisible. But tell me if at any point in the life of the Brazilian market, operators made as much money as when I governed. Ask the same to agribusiness. Ask the bankers. But also ask the bank employees, the shopkeepers. We proved that it is possible to govern for everyone, truly,” he concluded.
History
Lula presented himself to Brazilians as a political force intimately linked to social sentiment. "I always say that I am a product of society. If society advances, I advance. If not, I don't." And he attributed his candidacy to the conviction that he was the only one capable of defeating Bolsonaro. "It was because of the legacy I left during my eight years as President."
The president-elect said he harbors no resentment regarding the political persecution he has suffered in recent years. A process concluded due to bias and incompetence on the part of his accusers, but which led to his imprisonment and removed him from the 2018 election.
“Never accept being called a thief when you are innocent. Never accept the idea of paying the price for a crime you didn’t commit (…) But I don’t want revenge. After the gift the Brazilian people gave me, I have no right to have that feeling. However, don’t ask me to forget,” he stated.
“The lies that Moro and Dallagnol told were transformed into truth by the media. Absolute truth. Five years of destroyed lives. And we are here, with our heads held high. I am certain that my accusers do not walk with their heads held high like I do.”
The biggest fight
The political and legal forces that persecuted Lula were the same ones that made up the Bolsonaro government. But the president-elect argued that the far right is a greater evil to be fought. “It’s important to know that they are part of a far-right organization that exists in Spain, Italy, Trump’s United States, Hungary. Several other countries, including our beloved Argentina. This group came to deny [rights]. What they do most is deny the rights of families,” he said.
By bringing the traits of the far right to Brazil, Lula pointed to the problems of Bolsonarism. “This man still hasn’t acknowledged defeat. Furthermore, he continues to encourage fascists who are in the streets. Yesterday he received these people at the Alvorada Palace. He thought it was something eternal. He continues to deny the election results. He even denied the election he won. He follows the ritual that every fascist follows.”
So, this is not a typical period, just as the election did not proceed at a normal pace. “We had a very difficult campaign, possibly the most difficult I have ever participated in. It wasn't a typical campaign of one party against another, of one person against another,” said Lula. “We had to confront the Brazilian state. Never have the state and its institutions been so at the service of a candidate as they were in defending Mr. Bolsonaro. An anomalous, irrational figure, without heart, without feeling, incapable of a gesture of solidarity,” he added.
Lula's commitments
"On the day of my inauguration, I want to make a commitment to basic education in this country," said Lula. "It's impossible for us not to understand the need for these children to have quality schools. Including full-time schools. We will make every possible effort to ensure this country has full-time schools. In addition to education, we will have less violence. The issue of basic education is a commitment," he added.
Similarly, Lula made a second commitment to the members of the transition team. “So, another issue is health. It’s impossible that after the pandemic we don’t understand the sacred role that the SUS (Brazilian Public Health System) has in the history of this country. Ever since we created the SUS, it has been misunderstood. Many people linked to private medicine, sometimes people in the media, damage the image of the SUS (…) Now, health becomes a fundamental issue.”
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