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Lula says Brazil was “abandoned” under Bolsonaro

Monday, March 18th 2024 - 18:57 UTC
Full article 4 comments
Most ministries were understaffed and lacked social policies, Lula insisted Most ministries were understaffed and lacked social policies, Lula insisted

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Monday that his country was “abandoned” by the government before his and, therefore, “much remains to be done,” Agencia Brasil reported.

Lula made those remarks during his opening speech at the first cabinet meeting of 2024. He also recalled that his administration came very close to suffering a coup d'état.

“We still have a lot to do in all areas. And a lot is nothing strange; it's everything we pledged to do during the electoral contest. We've already spent a year and three months of our mandate, and you can see how little we've done and, at the same time, how much we've done. I doubt that anyone would have been able to do it if it hadn't been for the individual efforts of each one of you,” Lula noted.

In his view, Bolsonaro was concerned with “stimulating hatred between people” instead of thinking about social policies. Lula also stressed that many ministries were understaffed and lacked social inclusion policies while others had been closed down, such as the Ministry of Culture.

“So, everyone here is aware of the rubble they received when we took office,” Lula insisted, citing the social and educational programs resumed under him, in addition to tackling unemployment and opening 98 new markets for Brazilian agricultural products.

The president also addressed the testimonies of former Armed Forces chiefs to the Federal Police (PF) which showed that Brazil “ran a serious risk” of entering a new anti-democratic period following the attempted coup d'état on Jan. 8, 2023, when the headquarters of the Three Branches of Government were stormed in Brasilia.

“If, three months ago, when we talked about a coup it seemed like just an insinuation, today we are certain that this country is at serious risk of a coup because of the 2022 elections,” said Lula, who also praised the officers for refusing to join the coup plan.

According to statements given to the Federal Police (PF) by the former commanders of the Army, Marco Antonio Freire Gomes, and the Air Force, Carlos Almeida Baptista Júnior, Bolsonaro was at the center of the conspiracies for a democratic rupture.

For Lula, now is the time to strengthen democracy. “The people were wiser, braver, and we are here with the task of doing something very important, which is not just solving the problem of the economy, health, transportation, agriculture, we have to solve something much more serious, which is the consolidation of the democratic process in this country. Democracy has become fundamental in our lives,” he said.

Regarding Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira's absence at Monday's meeting, Lula explained that he was traveling to the Middle East. “He went to visit the situation in Palestine, the West Bank, and he also went to visit other countries and take a message, a message from the Brazilians there” in the middle of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

(Source: Agencia Brasil)

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

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  • Jack Bauer

    “Brazilian President Nine-Fingers said Monday that his country was “abandoned” by the government before his and, etc...”

    Lula made those remarks during his opening speech at the first cabinet meeting of 2024. He also recalled that his “administration came very close to suffering a coup d'état.”

    “We still have a lot to do in all areas. And a lot is nothing strange; it's everything we pledged to do during the electoral contest. We've already spent a year and three months of our mandate, and you can see how little we've done and, at the same time, how much we've done”...... Lula noted.

    In his view, Bolsonaro was concerned with “stimulating hatred between people” instead of thinking about social policies. Nine-Fingers also stressed that many ministries were understaffed and lacked social inclusion policies while others had been closed down, such as the Ministry of Culture“
    ------------
    Nine-Fingers, as always, blames the current situation on his predecessor...Now, he blames Bolsonaro. In 2003 he blamed FHC. It's never his own fault.

    In his first cabinet meeting of 2024, he dedicated most of his time, to criticizing Bolsonaro and those who were opposition. He doesn't take well to people pointing out his failures. Now, a curious fact, he does not know the names of all his 38 ministers,,,,far less what they do.

    As to 'suffering a coup d'etat', it's the joke of the Century....One thousand - give or take - idiots decided to invade the Palacio do Planalto, Congress and the STF, vandalizing the buildings. No one was armed.....During the protests, the government just looked on - not particualrly worried - then sent in the police. No one resisted. What a coup d'Etat !!!

    Fact is he inherited a country still in recovery from a pandemic. He has ignored many of his campaign promises, many totally unviable....and has done very little.

    As to ”stimulating hatred between people”, this has always been Nine-Finger's tactic. Since the 70s. Nothing has changed.

    Mar 19th, 2024 - 03:51 pm 0
  • Terence Hill

    “Former Brazilian Army Chief Marco Antonio Freire Gomes admitted Friday before Federal Police investigators that he had been approached by then-President Jair Bolsonaro to explore the possibility of overturning the outcome of the 2022 elections through military actions.”

    Mar 21st, 2024 - 08:52 am -1
  • imoyaro

    The nine digit midget can hardly accuse Bolsonaro of abandoning the country since he clearly was interested maintaining control via extralegal means. That would indicate that far from being abandoned, the previous government wanted to continue in power... ;)

    Mar 24th, 2024 - 12:12 pm -1
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