Brazil's Lula Admits: He Might Run Again

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rebutted criticism that
he and his Workers' Party changed after he took office. He made
a comparison with his own life, saying that he changed after
his marriage. And added: "When I go to bed at night, I sleep
peacefully knowing that I am doing what has to be done for Brazil."

Gabriela Guerreiro

 

In his eleventh month in office, president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he could be a candidate for reelection, but only if he believes he can do more for the country. During an interview on the Bandeirantes TV network program, "Canal Livre," Lula said that what he did not want to do was be "overwhelmed" like former president Cardoso was in a second term.

"I may decide to run again. Or I may decide not to run. My opinion is that someone should run again only if he thinks he can do more than he did in his first term of office. If that is not so, it is better not to be a candidate, because you will be overwhelmed, like our friend Cardoso was," he said.

Lula explained that he has an "obsession" for public policies that change the lives of people, not the office of the presidency. He said it was a good idea for public administrators to take turns in power and not stay in office too long. He said long-term projects should be undertaken by political parties as part of political alliances. He added that he did not know how long his party needed to do what it wants to do. "We are working to stay in power as long as possible," he said.

Cabinet Changes

While reelection is something a couple of years in the future, cabinet changes are much more a part of Lula's daily fare. "Any changes will be made at the correct moment," he said, explaining that it was important not to make announcements of changes too early as that could actually be detrimental to the operation of ministries. "I like to do this sort of thing tête-a-tête. There is no need for a document," said Lula.

As for giving the PMDB (Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro— Party of the Brazilian Democratic Party) cabinet posts, Lula said he had spoken to party leaders and told them that there would be room for them after the vote on the Social Security reform bill.

PT Radicals

Lula took advantage of the interview to "break his silence" on the subject of members of his party (the PT) who insist on voting against the government and openly criticizing its policies. Known as the PT radicals, the group has been threatened with expulsion. Lula said it was not the job of the president to judge congressional behavior. But he made it clear that joining a party entailed certain obligations. "My individual liberty and rights are limited in cases of collective decisions. When the party debates an issue and decides in favor or against, we who are members of the party have an obligation to follow that decision," said Lula.

The president said that the only way out of party obligations was to be an independent candidate in elections. "An independent candidate can get up in the morning and say to the mirror: `Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what is today's call?' And then he can go out and vote like he wants to. But I want to know if the people will vote for him again. When you join a party, there are rules that the members must obey."

As for senator Heloisa Helena (PT-AL), who voted against the Social Security reform bill last week, Lula said he had great respect for her but was not going to make any exceptions. "There are some people who are just not ready to be in power. In the past, some of them said they prefer to be in the opposition, because being in office means that there are some things you cannot do."

Lula also rebutted criticism of the PT because it changed after taking office. He made a comparison with his own life, saying that after he got married he was not the same person he had been when he was single. "Lula the married man was not a bachelor any more. It is the same in government. You win the election, you get a bonus and a burden." He added that he did not regret any of his decisions. "When I go to bed at night, I sleep peacefully knowing that I am doing what has to be done for Brazil."

Land Reform

Lula repeated his intention of settling 400,000 landless rural families and providing another 130,000 with property rights by the end of his term of office. He said his government did not have any problems with the Landless Rural Worker Movement (MST).

In Lula's opinion what Brazil needs is a quality land reform, a land reform that gives farmers the infrastructure that will enable them to be financially independent. "You cannot continue to do land reform the way it has historically been done in Brazil. You just take people out of urban misery and put them in rural misery. What we have to do is very serious work. I pray to God that I have the strength to do what has to be done. And if I cannot complete the job, let me at least do what I can and do it well," he said.

Crime and Minors

As for the idea of reducing the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18, Lula said he was against it because it was not "a magical solution," for the problem of violence in the country. "Every time there is a crime that shocks the nation, people start looking for magical solutions. There are no magical solutions. The death penalty is not a magical solution. Lowering the age of criminal responsibility is not a magical solution."

Lula said a possible solution could be modifications in the Children Statute (ECA), setting up more rigid punishments for minors. "I am open-minded about this. I want to be convinced that a solution is the best thing."

Lula concluded the interview by saying that at the end of the year he would issue a balance sheet of his first year in office. He closed with a message of optimism:

"I want to say that I am absolutely certain that 2004 will be infinitely better. We have to put an end to this business of selling pessimism. We have to believe in ourselves. When things are difficult we just have to make them less difficult."

 

Gabriela Guerreiro works for Agência Brasil (AB), the official press agency of the Brazilian government. Comments are welcome at lia@radiobras.gov.br