When Brazil becomes more than a Travel Destination
Lula has been elected the next President of Brazil |
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Lula sworn in as Brazil's next President on January 1st, 2023
FACT - Did you know? Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commonly known as Lula, is a prominent Brazilian politician who served as the President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010 and who has attained a third presidential term in the elections for a head of state since January 1, 2023. Lula was born on October 27, 1945, in Caetés, Pernambuco, Brazil, in a poor family. He grew up in the northeastern part of the country and worked as a metalworker and trade union leader before entering politics.Lula rose to prominence as a trade union leader in the late 1970s. He played a key role in organizing strikes and advocating for workers' rights during a period of military dictatorship in Brazil. In 1980, Lula played a pivotal role in founding the Workers' Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT), a left-wing political party in Brazil. The PT became a major political force, and Lula became its leading figure. Lula ran for the presidency three times before winning in 2002. He was elected President of Brazil in a historic victory, becoming the country's first working-class president. Lula's presidency is characterized by economic growth, poverty reduction, and social programs. His administration implemented policies such as Bolsa Família, which aimed to alleviate poverty, and ProUni, which expanded access to higher education. Lula pursued an active foreign policy during his presidency, promoting South-South cooperation and strengthening Brazil's role in international affairs. He also played a role in mediating diplomatic efforts in regional conflicts. Lula's economic policies were marked by a focus on social inclusion and poverty reduction. Brazil experienced economic growth during his presidency, and his administration implemented programs to address income inequality. After leaving the presidency in 2010, Lula remained an influential political figure. However, he faced legal challenges, including corruption allegations. In 2018, he was convicted of corruption and money laundering, leading to his imprisonment. Lula was released from prison in 2019 after a Supreme Federal Court ruling. Since then he became a prominent political figure once again and after a turbulent election compaign he was able to win the the elections end October 2022. On January 1st 2023 he has been sworn in as the new president of Brazil, which was his third term. Lula's legacy is complex and debated in Brazil. Supporters praise his efforts to address social issues and reduce poverty, while critics point to corruption scandals during his presidency and afterwards. Lula's political journey reflects Brazil's complex political landscape, and his impact on the country's history is significant. The ongoing political developments continue to shape discussions about his legacy and influence in Brazilian politics. The future, however, will need to prove if he is able to turnaround a country in financial, ecological and economic troubles.Lula appointed new President of Brazil after Turbulent Election CampaignBrazil's leftist leader Lula da Silva was sworn in as the new President of Brazil in the Brazilian capital Brasilia on January 1, 2023. Lula defeated his predecessor, the Ultra-right President Jair Bolsonaro narrowly in the elections (50.9% versus 49.1%). Since the election results, tensions had been rising between supporters of both politicians. Bolsonaro initially did not want to accept his loss. He challenged the outcome in a number of regions. Ultimately, Lula's court victory became strong, but some of Bolsonaro's supporters still denied their leader's election results causing riots. Lula da Silva took the oath before the assembled Parliament and in his speech to Parliament, Lula said "he has been given a devastating country, where hunger has returned under Bolsonaro". "The government has undermined resources for education, health and forest conservation and human rights," according to Lula. He also accused the Bolsonaro government of repeatedly committing "genocide" during the corona pandemic, which killed more than 680,000 Brazilians. Lula has said his priorities are fighting poverty and investing in education and health. He has also said he will bring illegal deforestation of the Amazon to a halt. He sought support from political moderates to form a broad front and defeat Bolsonaro, then tapped some of them to serve in his Cabinet. Lula pledged to work on economic revival, tax reform and increasing the minimum wage, protecting the Amazon rainforest and expanding electricity and running water access to rural areas to name a few. On inauguration day, at the presidential palace, Lula and his wife were joined by the presidential dog Resistance. Representatives of social groups in Brazil, amongst which an indigenous man, presented Lula with the presidential sash. This would normally be done by the former President but Bolsonaro did not want to attend the inauguration and left for the US a few days before the change of power. After the turbulent election campaing the worst was yet to come. Lula had been back in office for just one week when tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the National Congress, trashing the premises and calling for the military to oust Lula. The riots were similar to the US Capitol invasion in Washington almost exactly two years earlier caused by supporters of the former President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro's political role model. These riots showed once again the political division in the country and supporters of Bolsonaro continued to accuse Lula of election fraud and conspiracy theories. Who is the new Brazilian President Lula da Silva?Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva comes from a working class background and a political career rooted in workers unions. Lula first became President of Brazil in 2002 and his policies brought millions out of poverty. However, a corruption scandal later in his career led to his downfall and even imprisonment. One of Lula's major accomplishments was the internationally-acclaimed "Programa Bolsa Família (PBF)". It's a cash-transfer scheme which provided cash to Brazilian families upon the fulfilment of certain conditions:
Lula was succeeded as President of Brazil by his Chief of Staff Dilma Rousseff. In Rousseff's tenure, a corruption scandal led to Lula's downfall. In 2016, Lula was also accused of money laundering. Within a year, he, his wife, and six others faced six corruption cases. In 2017, Lula was convicted and was handed a 10-year imprisonment, though he only served 580 days in jail, as per CNN. In 2019, Lula walked out of jail and his conviction was annulled by the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2021. This paved the way for his re-election campaign. Lula's Message of Hope and ReconstructionLula's main message to Brazil is one of hope and reconstruction but he will have to overcome more challenging economic conditions than during his first two terms. In the last decade, Brazil's economy plunged into two deep recessions. The first one during the tenure of Lula's handpicked successor Dilma Rousseff and then during the pandemic. The future will tell if he is able to rebuild the country as until now the credibility of Lula and his Worker's Party is still doubtful following the former corruption scandals. Bolsonaro's supporters also refuse to accept someone they view as a criminal returning to the highest office. | ||||||||
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