Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Brazil's former president, speaks during a press conference on March 10, 2021 in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. (Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
Resurrected Politically, Lula Goes After Bolsonaro's 'Moronic' Handling of Covid-19 Pandemic
"This country is disorganized and falling apart because it has no government," said the former Brazilian president.
In a speech Wednesday that signaled a potential presidential run, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Jair Bolsonaro, the South American country's current far-right president, for his catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic crisis.
"This country is disorganized and falling apart because it has no government," Lula told a crowd gathered at the metalworkers union in Sao Bernardo do Campo, where the 75-year-old left-wing icon's political career began as an organizer in the 1970s.
While Covid-19 has claimed the lives of nearly 270,000 people in Brazil--the world's second-highest death toll over the past year, after the United States--Bolsonaro has consistently minimized the lethal threat posed by the virus.
Last week, after two consecutive days of record deaths that have pushed the country's hospital system "to the brink of collapse," Brazil's president told his citizens to stop "whining," which Reuters called Bolsonaro's "latest remarks attacking distancing measures and downplaying the gravity of the pandemic."
Standing in front of a banner that read, "Health, jobs, and justice for Brazil," Lula, a member of the Workers' Party, said Wednesday that "many of these deaths could have been avoided."
Lula also told the audience: "Do not follow a single one of the president or health minister's moronic decisions. Get vaccinated."
"The people don't need arms. The people need jobs," Lula said, criticizing Bolsonaro's pro-gun policy as well as his inept response to the ongoing economic turmoil, which the former president contrasted with the increased prosperity and reduced inequality that Brazilians experienced when he governed the country from 2003 until 2011.
The speech was Lula's first since a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Monday overturned several criminal convictions against the former president, restoring his political rights and opening the door for a 2022 bid to unseat Bolsonaro.
Though Lula said he "doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now," some observers interpreted his vow to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil and denunciation of Bolsonaro as evidence of his official return to the political arena, with Reuters characterizing the event as an attempt to "set the stage" for a likely presidential run.
"His speech was a campaign launch" in effect, said political analyst Creomar da Souza of the consulting firm Dharma. "He presented his project for the country, which involves a lot of references to his legacy as president."
During his presidency, Lula oversaw an economic boom, which he channeled to improve the lives of downtrodden Brazilians. He remains popular with progressives throughout the world for implementing social programs that lifted millions out of poverty.
When he left office in 2011, Lula enjoyed approval ratings over 80%, and before his candidacy was derailed by a corruption conviction, he was leading the polls during the 2018 race eventually won by Bolsonaro.
Lula has maintained his innocence, describing the charges that put him behind bars for 18 months as a lie fabricated by right-wing adversaries intent on perpetrating a political coup.
While Lula could still be tried in the capital Brasilia if prosecutors there decide to pursue one of the pending corruption cases, in which no verdicts have yet been reached, the former president remains popular.
Recent polling data indicates that he is in the best position to defeat the right-wing incumbent.
"Bolsonaro represents rock bottom in the recent history of the republic," said Christian Lynch, a political scientist from Rio de Janeiro's State University. "And he's going to have to face the candidate who was its zenith."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
In a speech Wednesday that signaled a potential presidential run, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Jair Bolsonaro, the South American country's current far-right president, for his catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic crisis.
"This country is disorganized and falling apart because it has no government," Lula told a crowd gathered at the metalworkers union in Sao Bernardo do Campo, where the 75-year-old left-wing icon's political career began as an organizer in the 1970s.
While Covid-19 has claimed the lives of nearly 270,000 people in Brazil--the world's second-highest death toll over the past year, after the United States--Bolsonaro has consistently minimized the lethal threat posed by the virus.
Last week, after two consecutive days of record deaths that have pushed the country's hospital system "to the brink of collapse," Brazil's president told his citizens to stop "whining," which Reuters called Bolsonaro's "latest remarks attacking distancing measures and downplaying the gravity of the pandemic."
Standing in front of a banner that read, "Health, jobs, and justice for Brazil," Lula, a member of the Workers' Party, said Wednesday that "many of these deaths could have been avoided."
Lula also told the audience: "Do not follow a single one of the president or health minister's moronic decisions. Get vaccinated."
"The people don't need arms. The people need jobs," Lula said, criticizing Bolsonaro's pro-gun policy as well as his inept response to the ongoing economic turmoil, which the former president contrasted with the increased prosperity and reduced inequality that Brazilians experienced when he governed the country from 2003 until 2011.
The speech was Lula's first since a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Monday overturned several criminal convictions against the former president, restoring his political rights and opening the door for a 2022 bid to unseat Bolsonaro.
Though Lula said he "doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now," some observers interpreted his vow to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil and denunciation of Bolsonaro as evidence of his official return to the political arena, with Reuters characterizing the event as an attempt to "set the stage" for a likely presidential run.
"His speech was a campaign launch" in effect, said political analyst Creomar da Souza of the consulting firm Dharma. "He presented his project for the country, which involves a lot of references to his legacy as president."
During his presidency, Lula oversaw an economic boom, which he channeled to improve the lives of downtrodden Brazilians. He remains popular with progressives throughout the world for implementing social programs that lifted millions out of poverty.
When he left office in 2011, Lula enjoyed approval ratings over 80%, and before his candidacy was derailed by a corruption conviction, he was leading the polls during the 2018 race eventually won by Bolsonaro.
Lula has maintained his innocence, describing the charges that put him behind bars for 18 months as a lie fabricated by right-wing adversaries intent on perpetrating a political coup.
While Lula could still be tried in the capital Brasilia if prosecutors there decide to pursue one of the pending corruption cases, in which no verdicts have yet been reached, the former president remains popular.
Recent polling data indicates that he is in the best position to defeat the right-wing incumbent.
"Bolsonaro represents rock bottom in the recent history of the republic," said Christian Lynch, a political scientist from Rio de Janeiro's State University. "And he's going to have to face the candidate who was its zenith."
In a speech Wednesday that signaled a potential presidential run, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned Jair Bolsonaro, the South American country's current far-right president, for his catastrophic mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic crisis.
"This country is disorganized and falling apart because it has no government," Lula told a crowd gathered at the metalworkers union in Sao Bernardo do Campo, where the 75-year-old left-wing icon's political career began as an organizer in the 1970s.
While Covid-19 has claimed the lives of nearly 270,000 people in Brazil--the world's second-highest death toll over the past year, after the United States--Bolsonaro has consistently minimized the lethal threat posed by the virus.
Last week, after two consecutive days of record deaths that have pushed the country's hospital system "to the brink of collapse," Brazil's president told his citizens to stop "whining," which Reuters called Bolsonaro's "latest remarks attacking distancing measures and downplaying the gravity of the pandemic."
Standing in front of a banner that read, "Health, jobs, and justice for Brazil," Lula, a member of the Workers' Party, said Wednesday that "many of these deaths could have been avoided."
Lula also told the audience: "Do not follow a single one of the president or health minister's moronic decisions. Get vaccinated."
"The people don't need arms. The people need jobs," Lula said, criticizing Bolsonaro's pro-gun policy as well as his inept response to the ongoing economic turmoil, which the former president contrasted with the increased prosperity and reduced inequality that Brazilians experienced when he governed the country from 2003 until 2011.
The speech was Lula's first since a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Monday overturned several criminal convictions against the former president, restoring his political rights and opening the door for a 2022 bid to unseat Bolsonaro.
Though Lula said he "doesn't have time to think about a 2022 candidacy now," some observers interpreted his vow to "fight tirelessly" for Brazil and denunciation of Bolsonaro as evidence of his official return to the political arena, with Reuters characterizing the event as an attempt to "set the stage" for a likely presidential run.
"His speech was a campaign launch" in effect, said political analyst Creomar da Souza of the consulting firm Dharma. "He presented his project for the country, which involves a lot of references to his legacy as president."
During his presidency, Lula oversaw an economic boom, which he channeled to improve the lives of downtrodden Brazilians. He remains popular with progressives throughout the world for implementing social programs that lifted millions out of poverty.
When he left office in 2011, Lula enjoyed approval ratings over 80%, and before his candidacy was derailed by a corruption conviction, he was leading the polls during the 2018 race eventually won by Bolsonaro.
Lula has maintained his innocence, describing the charges that put him behind bars for 18 months as a lie fabricated by right-wing adversaries intent on perpetrating a political coup.
While Lula could still be tried in the capital Brasilia if prosecutors there decide to pursue one of the pending corruption cases, in which no verdicts have yet been reached, the former president remains popular.
Recent polling data indicates that he is in the best position to defeat the right-wing incumbent.
"Bolsonaro represents rock bottom in the recent history of the republic," said Christian Lynch, a political scientist from Rio de Janeiro's State University. "And he's going to have to face the candidate who was its zenith."