Brazil: Power alternation is beauty of democracy, says Lula

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva minimized the defeat of the Workers' Party (PT) in the last municipal elections which resulted in the loss of more than 300 mayoralties of the 638 it used to rule. According to him, the result is an expression of democracy, and ensures power alternation.

"That's democracy. If it was written that the PT could never lose, I would not have created the party. Those who lost in 2012 have won now. Those winning now can lose in 2018. That's the beauty of democracy. It is the power alternation," said Lula.

The former president talked to reporters on Tuesday (Oct. 4) evening in Rio at the end of the 2nd IndustriALL Global Union Meeting, an international event that brought together some 1,500 union members from 101 countries. Lula made remarks on the social security reform that is being discussed in the country. "We never talk about social security reforms when the economy is growing. We only talk about it when it is in crisis, as if retirement was the cause of crisis,” he said.

Lula also opposed the constitutional amendment limiting public spending in Brazil for the next 20 years, which includes areas like education and health care. "I think the trade-union movement will put up a fierce struggle, because [this measure] freezes investments in health care and education. And it is not possible to improve education and health care without investment."

The ex-president reacted to the privatization of public enterprises: "A government that thinks it will only solve its problems by selling what it has is like a husband who becomes unemployed and the first thing he does, instead of looking for another job, is to suggest to his wife to sell their bed, refrigerator, TV."

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta

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