MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

A humble Lula celebrates 18 months in office.

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he has worked very hard “to put the house in order”, but “very few” have harvested the results of what has been planted in the last 18 months.

In his weekly radio program "Share a coffee with the President", Mr. Lula da Silva recalled the 18 months he has been in office and said he was "optimistic" about the future given the latest data on industrial production, but also preached caution.

"We want Brazil's expansion model to be sustainable, sustainable in time, for many years", said the President adding that "we're doing things in Brazil that should have been done long time ago, but never were accomplished".

Mr. Lula da Silva went on to talk about credit saying that "banks now are loaning at cheaper rates, consumer credit is expanding, the Development Bank has ample resources to make the Brazilian economy begin rolling, creating jobs and distributing income".

"I'm optimistic but very conscious we must keep working very hard for the economy to really grow in a long lasting sustainable manner. That is our target and we're going to do precisely that. We must be fully aware we're on the right track".

Recalling that industry in Brazil is now working at almost full capacity, 82%, President Lula said that business managers begin with "overtime" and when they are certain of growth they then begin contracting more labour.

"And that is what is happening now, employment is growing, not as fast as we would like, but at its highest rate since 1992", underlined Mr. Lula da Silva who insisted that the Brazilian economy actually began recovering last September.

Last year the Brazilian economy contracted 0,2% for the first time in a decade.

Finally the Brazilian president promised that by the end of the year 6,5 million families will be receiving a special food and health package benefit, and "God willing" and "Lula working 24 hours a day", by the end of the mandate, "11 million families will also effectively be receiving the benefits".