Brazil: Lula's Empty Promises

The Brazilian people does not need Lula, nor wants him
anymore. The Brazilian President didn't keep his promises and
business with China, will only enrich friends. The headlines in
Brazil talk about advances. They forgot the existence of 53 million
indigent, 12 million unemployed and 10 million famished.

Carlos Chagas

The story is old, but timely. Alexander the Great, had conquered the Greek, entered Athens as a conqueror, and was preparing the invasion of Asia, from which he, in fact, would not return, in spite of having made himself the conqueror of the known world.

He learned, in the Greek capital, of the existence of the wisest man alive, ex-lawyer, ex-millionaire, who had renounced everything and was living in a barrel, on the dock in Piraeus, enchanting the young people with his teaching.

The potentate approached, locating himself in front of the opening of what might, charitably, have been thought to be the door of the wise man’s strange residence. Seeing him seated, Alexander burst out:

“Ask of me what you will, for I will give it to you. Palaces, lands, slaves, treasures and riches never before seen!”

Diogenes raised his eyes to the master of the world, and answered: “Majesty, takest not from me that which thou mayest not give.” Alexander suddenly realized that he was between the sun and Diogenes, who was warming himself on that cold winter day. He turned his back and left, never to return, conscious of his pettiness before the profundity of what he had heard.

People Anxious for Better Days

This episode from the chronicles of human thought speaks of the reality of Brazil. In full possession of power, master of Brazil, brilliant guide of the peoples, one of these days President Lula will seek to know where the people may be found, so that he can pay homage, as Alexander wanted to pay homage to Diogenes.

And the people, not living in one, but perhaps a thousand barrels, from Rocinha to Alemão, from the palafitas of Amazônia to the shacks of the Northeast, from the periphery of São Paulo to the nooks and crannies of the cerrado (scrub forest), the people will simply ask Lula not to take from them that he which he was unable to give.

What is that? The yearning for better days. The importance of a fair distribution of income. A minimum salary able to meet necessities. Jobs, so that every one can give his best for the common work of building a more just society.

In a world, hope, promised but never made concrete since the beginning of the government. Palaces, lands, slaves, treasures and riches which the people do not need, nor ask for, continue to be presented to the courtiers, toadies, to the scoundrels and a whole fauna of exploiters.

But the warmth of a happy existence, capable of coming naturally, sufficient for all in its simplicity, don’t even think about it. Lula interposed himself between the sun and the barrel. He managed to deny Diogenes his natural desire to warm himself.

The people does not need Lula, nor wants him anymore. The candidate, infected by unkept promises, acted only to reward the elites with the gleam of the swords, lances, and armor used in the conquest of power. Business with China, billion-dollar investments, partnerships for the creation of steel plants, ports, and railways, all this will only serve to enrich friends.

The people only wants them not to take away the warmth of the sun, that is, the hope that one day we will be able to warm ourselves without the arrival of the prince’s shadow, with its promises. Let Lula go and conquer. Even go to China. But leaving us the certainty that we will only receive the light of the sun along with the conquerors of our hopes that they abandon us. That they no longer take from us that which they cannot give us...

A Happy Campaign

The government is preparing to try and turn the tide. On the sly, enormous grants are ready to try to convince the electorate that in October it ought to vote for its candidates. The plot begins at the beginning, that is to say, the media campaign is already under way. Just look at the news reporting on the most important TV networks, in the magazines and newspapers. They are all fulsome in praise of nothing.

They run headlines hawking advances and expectations that development will begin once more. They forgot the existence of 53 million indigent, 12 million unemployed and 10 million famished.

The press would rather talk about industrial production, the rise in the stock market, the praises by the International Monetary Fund for Brazilian economic policy, about the social programs announced by the Palácio do Planalto.

They give the impression that we are living in another world, where all this is already reality. Money will not be lacking for the candidates of the PT (Partido dos Trabalhadores—Workers' Party) and its allied parties in the campaigns for mayor and representative. In the state capitals, then, they will be playing the symphony of the victory they anticipate. They could be mistaken...

Carlos Chagas writes for the Rio's daily Tribuna da Imprensa and is a representative of the Brazilian Press Association, in Brasília. He welcomes your comments at carloschagas@hotmail.com

Translated from the Portuguese by Tom Moore. Moore has been fascinated by the language and culture of Brazil since 1994. He translates from Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and German, and is also active as a musician. Comments welcome at querflote@hotmail.com.