World celebrates Lula's election
Renowned Brazilian labour leader Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva returns as president of Brazil after emerging victorious in an extremely contested electoral race that ended the right-wing government of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Trade unions, social movements and working people from different parts of the country poured into the streets by the millions and celebrated the triumph of Lula and his Workers' Party (PT). Many are hoping that Lula will turn the tide and address the country’s worsening poverty.
World leaders from around the world were also quick to offer their congratulations to Brazil’s president-elect. US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are some of the many leaders who stood by Lula’s victory.
In a public statement, Lula pledged to unite a divided country and immediately address widespread poverty. He also asked the cooperation of the interanational comunity to preserve the Amazon rainforest, saying that he will seek fair global trade rather than trade deals that "condemn our country to be an external exporter of raw materials."
Lula’s presidency will inherit a deep economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, a resurgent deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, and a government that has systematically retreated in providing the Brazilian working people needed social assistance and services.
BWI Deputy President Saul Mendez Rodriguez, who is also the General Secretary of Panama’s National Union of Construction and Similar Workers (SUNTRACS), congratulated the Brazilian voting public for their historic electoral victory. “It has been a great triumph of the great homeland and the Brazilian people. We congratulate the Brazilian workers. We stand with them as we continue the fight for a better world and future.”
For his part, BWI Regional Committee President Denilson Pestana recognised the historic significance of Lula’s victory. “This will surely bring forward the changes that the country desperately needs.”
In a public statement posted on social media, BWI congratulated Lula, its trade union affiliates and the Brazilian working people for their “astonishing electoral victory.” “BWI congratulates Lula da Silva, our trade union affiliates & the Brazilian working people for their historic electoral victory beating far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in one of the most tightly contested elections in Brazil's history.”