MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula da Silva: developed countries lack political initiative; need to learn from Latam

The former president said Brazil is a good example how to overcome crises

Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva blasted the developed countries lack of political initiative to face the economic crisis and suggested they adopt a strategy similar to Brazil’s.

North-American and European leaders “should know that a politician should have character, I think they are lacking political initiative. They don’t only have to make economic decisions, but political as well,” the former Brazilian president said.

Lula da Silva encouraged consumption to avoid a recession after the 2008 global economic crisis. “We have an extraordinary local market, people are avid to shop“ Lula da Silva said.

Lula da Silva indicated he thinks the same way as his successor Dilma Rousseff who is also inviting Brazilians to continue spending and not be fearful of the European crisis.

The former Brazilian president also blasted as “wrong” that U.S. and Europe are more interested in giving handouts to save their banks than adopting the necessary political decisions to address the current crises.

He reiterated that the emerging countries must propose global solutions in the G20 forum where Latin America is represented by Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, and insisted that developed countries should listen and look at Latam recent experience.

“This is our time and we must help them (EU and US) solve their problems. Because when Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia were in trouble a group of ‘gringos’ landed every time to tell us what to do,” he concluded, so “now it’s our turn for them to listen to us”.