MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula praises vice president candidate Alckmin, “the best thing we have done”

Lula who was twice president, and one of the most popular leaders of Brazil belongs to the Workers Party, (PT)

Brazilian former president Lula da Silva, and a serious candidate to repeat for the third time in October elections, said that the political alliance with his presidential ticket running mate Geraldo Alckmin has been “the best thing we have done”.

Lula who was twice president, and one of the most popular leaders of Brazil belongs to the Workers Party, (PT), while Alckmin to the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, PSDB, a serious contender of Lula at presidential level (twice) and elected governor four times of Sao Paulo's state, the richest and most populated of the country.

Lula and Alckmin, now partners in the presidential dispute against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, are facing next Sunday the first round, and a potential run off at the end of October. PT and PSB have been the polarizing parties of Brazilian politics during the last decades, but now have joined efforts to defeat Bolsonaro and 'Bolsonarism'

“Even if we defeat Bolsonaro next Sunday in the polls, 'Bolsonarims' will continue to exist, and it is imperative we defeat it in the political debate”, underlines Lula.

“When people are intelligent, when people get together, people win, but when people end up divided, most of the time people lose. Sometimes I have argued with my hard liners, why our people don't want Alckmin as vice president candidate? This fellow on four times with the support of the people won the governorship of Sao Paulo, this means he is a man of talent, quality,” pointed out Lula addressing a political rally.

Lula was referring to the disputes between the PT and PSDB for the control of Sao Paulo state. “I've learnt to know Alckmin. Campaigning with him I realize it was the best thing we did”.

“This alliance of PT with a member of PSDB was sponsored by former lawmaker Gabriel Chalita and by Fernando Haddad who is running for governor of Sao Paulo, but the rumor of the alliance was already out in the streets before it was even signed”, said Lula. “It was quite strange since none of us confirmed that talks on the matter had been ongoing. It was the media that was making all the talking”

Finally, Lula again referred to a defeat of Bolsonaro on Sunday, “it won't be enough to contain the followers of Bolsonarism, we are going to beat them, but Bolsonarism will continue to exist. We need to defeat them in the political debate”. Brazil was so much better when the country was polarized between PT and PSDB, because “it is also most important that people don't think the same”