Festive Left Friday Blogging: Lula’s back!

lula-speaking

It’s been a while since we heard from this guy. But it’s nice to see that Lula is still active and involved, despite his recent brush with cancer. And get a load of what he has to say:

Former president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, expressed his support for the protests of the social movements in his country, and emphasized that these demonstrations are the expressions of a people demanding more in that South American country.

“Long live the protests, that’s how things get done; it is important to improve healthcare, and many other things,” said the former head of state.

Lula said that, unlike in Europe, where citizens are mobilizing so as not to lose basic services, in Brazil the demonstrations are taking place in order to demand more healthcare, education, and investment in social services.

During his speech, Lula opposed only the position of the youth who reject politics and parties.

“The worst thing that can happen in the world is that the people reject politics; there is nothing in the world’s experience in which the negation of politics led to a better result,” Lula pointed out.

He also stated that the movements are reflections of social successes, both economic and political.

“It’s completely natural that the young, especially those who have obtained things that their parents never had, want more — above all, cleaner and more transparent public institutions,” Lula said.

The former president, who governed from 2003 to 2010, joins the current president, Dilma Rousseff, who has also expressed support for the demonstrations, and who has committed to deepening the social changes the population demand. Lula also supported Rousseff’s proposal of a plebiscite, so that the people can express opinions on the most important topics of political reform. The plebiscite is to be held in 2014.

Translation mine.

So while the media moan gloom and doom about “riots” in Brazil (and remember, a riot is just a protest that the cops showed up to break heads in), Lula is looking forward. And he’s urging others to do the same, and work in that direction. Considering the strides Brazil made under him (and Dilma, too), the prognosis is good. Remember that the next time you hear yet another horror story out of the largest country in South America, folks.

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