Former president and pre-candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) participated in a press conference for independent media websites this Wednesday (19), at 10:30 am. The interview, the first to these media outlets in 2022, was broadcast live by Brasil de Fato.
Lula spoke mainly about this year's presidential elections, in which his primary opponent is the current president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
According to an Ipespe poll released last Friday (14), the former president remains in the lead in the presidential race for the Palácio do Planalto in 2022. With 44% of voting intentions, he could win the election in the 1st round.
Journalists from the following vehicles were present: Brasil247; Jornalistas Livres; Rede Brasil Atual; Revista Fórum; DCM; GGN, Blog da Cidadania; Tutameia. Brasil de Fato selected Lula's most striking sentences. You can read it below:
Beer, barbecue, and soy steak
"It is entirely possible to make people believe once again [that they can have] their barbecue, their beer, their ribs. For those who are vegetarian, like Gleisi, her salad, a soy steak. We have to give back to the Brazilian people the pleasure of the most elementary things."
An election is to win
There is no candidate, no vice. I am not running to be a protagonist; I am running to win the elections. I am running to win the elections at a time when Brazil is worse than in 2003, when I took office. Winning an election is easier than governing.
Alckmin on the presidential ticket
"I will have no problem if I have to run in the presidential ticket with Alckmin to win the elections and govern this country." "From my side, there's no problem in composing the presential ticket with Alckmin and having Alckmin as vice [president]. (…) I hope that Alckmin will be with us, whether or not he is the vice, because it seems to me that he decided to make a decisive opposition to Bolsonarism and Dorism. The PSDB today is not the PSDB created in the Constituent Assembly."
Preparation for the elections
"I'm a guy who likes to talk to people, listen to people. I'm still going to talk a lot. I don't decide without thinking. I prepare myself. I get up every day at 6 am. I run 6 km, train my muscles and my legs a lot so that I can walk through this country."
Financial market
"I cannot want to be president to solve problems of the financial system, of entrepreneurs, of those who became richer during the pandemic. There's only one reason for me to be president again: for the people to be able to dream again."
On choosing ministers
"There are people who want me to nominate my economic guru, my vice, my Minister of Justice now. All this will happen at the right time (…) We don't sit in the chair ahead of time because it's bad luck."
Relationship with the United States
How am I going to treat the United States? I treat them with the respect that I think they deserve, but I want them to treat me with the respect that Brazil deserves. They have to understand that Brazil is the most important country in Latin America, the largest in population, the largest economically, and Brazil is interested in growing together with all the countries in Latin and South America. And Brazil can be a major player.
Industrial policy
"Brazil needs to think about recovering its industrial capacity. Once upon a time, the industry has represented 30% of the GDP. Today, it represents 10% to 11%. Industry disappeared because they wanted it to disappear. We need to have a big discussion about what we mean by a new industrial policy. Which markets can we enter, what can we structure. If we take our scientists, our universities, our young and modern entrepreneurs, we can present."
UN and the new global governance
"We have to build another world. We need to re-discuss a new world governance. We need a rejuvenated, renewed UN, more representative of current geopolitics and with certain powers."
"Above all on the environmental and peace issues, they need collective decisions, not unilateral ones. It is necessary to end the power of the United States not to respect any decision. The same UN that built the State of Israel does not dare to build the Palestinian State."
Criticism of the Bolsonaro government
"A country that has no guidance for absolutely anything. It didn't take care of Enem; it didn't take care of Sisu; it didn't take care of Prouni; it didn't take care of Reuni; it didn't take care of Fies. The only thing the Bolsonaro government does is try to avoid trial and inquiries on his own family […] to say that you will have a consultation about vaccination in children is one of the most absurd things in this country. Even more so in a country that was respected all over the world for its culture of vaccination, abolishing several diseases that are now reappearing.."
