MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

President Lula da Silva admits he would consider running again in 2014

The Brazilian leader has also been proposed as Peace Nobel candidate

Brazil’s president Lula da Silva confirmed he is seriously considering running again in 2014 when Brazil will be hosting the World Football Cup. The Brazilian president made the announcement during an interview with Bandeirantes television.

“I don’t discard running again; the only thing of which I’m sure is that by then I will be out of government”, said Lula da Silva whose mandate is up next January first.

Last February Lula da Silva, one of the most popular Brazilian presidents since Getulio Vargas, had discarded running for a third term in 2014 since the current incumbent candidate Dilma Rousseff, under the Brazilian constitution, is entitled to run for a second four year consecutive term if she effectively is elected Lula da Silva’s successor next October.

Nevertheless back in 2007 Lula da Silva in an interview with Folha de Sao Paulo had anticipated that in the event of the Workers Party asking him to run in 2014, he would think about it.

In effect the ruling party had asked Lula da Silva before nominating Ms Rousseff, to promote a constitutional reform which would allow him to run for a third consecutive term, but he strongly rejected such an option.

In related news former Brazilian ambassador in Washington Rubens Ricupero said that President Lula da Silva was a serious candidate for the Peace Nobel Prize, an initiative presented by thousands of petitioners from Brazil.

“There’s no doubt that president Lula da Silva is a serious candidate for the Peace Nobel: it’s obvious he is one of the most influential world leaders and with great charisma”, said Ricupero.

According to Nobel Prize statutes potential candidates must have the support from intellectuals, academics or long established institutions. For last year’s Nobel, 237 names were supported by 38 organizations from different countries.