MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian president jeered in World Social Forum

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who until elected and during his first year in office was the darling of left wing and antiglobalization groups faced strong criticism during his appearance before the World Social Forum being held in Porto Alegre.

The former firebrand union leader Lula da Silva was forced to defend his pragmatic government and policies against claims that he can't serve two masters, capitalism and the poor, amidst jeers of "traitor" from the most radical groups.

Actually the Brazilian president chose a closed gymnasium, protected by 500 policemen, to address a crowd of 20,000 mostly members and disciplined supporters of his Workers Party (PT) but among the audience was also a small group of unbending Trotskyites who insisted in interrupting him.

Mr. Lula summed up his two years in office talking about the campaign against hunger, efforts to promote education and support for health programs, as well as the economic stability achieved by his administration based on orthodox economic policies, which are constantly criticized by the traditional left wing groups.

Like the protesters, some members of the International Committee of the Social Forum, with President Lula present, questioned his administration's orientation at a meeting Tuesday night.

Emir Sader and one of the Social Forum's founders, said everything transpired "in a climate of cordiality and frankness," but in which "was reflected the discomfort with the orientation and discourse" of the Brazilian president.

According to Mr. Sader, French clergyman Francois Houtart was the president's harshest critic. Mr. Houtart asked President Lula what he was going to tell the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where business leaders and bankers also applauded the president two years ago.

"Because if he is hailed once again, we have to fear for the future of Brazil, since you can't serve two masters" stressed Mr. Houtart voicing the sentiments of the protesters who called on Lula to choose between Porto Alegre and Davos.

The World Social Forum in Porto Alegre was organized as a parallel gathering to the World Economic Forum.

President Lula travelled Thursday to Davos as the Social Forum prepared to welcome another president, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, a figure who is also controversial within the antiglobalization movement, but who appears to draw more support than opposition from activists.

President Chavez is scheduled to arrive in Porto Alegre on Sunday, one day before the 2005 edition of the Social Forum is closed, and he is expected to meet with landless peasants in the same gym where Mr. Lula delivered his address.

The activists who jeered president Lula promised to be there Sunday, but to express support for Chavez, whose revolutionary rhetoric and constant confrontation with the United States have turned him into a hero for the more traditional and radical Latinamerican left