After Bolsonaro, Lula appears near Rio to win votes

First modification: 09/09/2022 – 15:10

In Nova Iguaçu, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, garbage collectors, street artists, trade unionists, black leaders and students were the opening act for former President Lula da Silva who is betting on a happy Brazil again.

“Solidarity”, “humanist”, “fraternal”

“We are going to create a country of solidarity, a humanist country, a fraternal country in which a woman will never again sleep watching her son with an empty belly,” Lula stressed.

The one who presided over Brazil between 2003 and 2011 now appears as the favorite for the elections on October 2. However, the percentage hovering around 45% in the polls will not allow him to win in a first round.

“Enough of Bolsonaro”

“We have to end this fascism, with homophobia, with the attack on women… Enough of Bolsonaro in government!” one of his supporters told RFI.

“It is time to return to having a decent salary, employment and food on the plate of every Brazilian,” stressed one woman. “I was a cleaner in Rio and I was able to take my son to university who studied international relations. It’s a lot of love, a lot of love, ”emphasized another.

Together with former president Dilma Rousseff, Lula da Silva promises housing and income redistribution programs, price controls, especially fuel prices, and says that he will put the poorest on the political agenda, as he did in the first decade of this century.