Former president Lula to tour country to defend ruling Workers' Party

Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said late on Tuesday (Aug. 11) that he is getting ready to get back on the road traveling around the country to respond to criticism of the government of President Dilma Rousseff and her Workers' Party (PT). The statement was made at the opening session of the 5th Margaridas' March, a demonstration that brought thousands of peasant women to Brasília to present their demands to the federal government.

“I want to tell you that five years ago I completed my term as president, and people out there complain that I haven't been talking to the press [since]. I'm keeping a low profile for now, and every single day someone's teasing and I hold my peace. But let me tell you I'm gearing myself up to travel around this country,” Lula said.

He said President Dilma Rousseff, ministers, deputies and senators in the governing coalition will also tour the country to discuss its challenges. “The president has set out traveling, ministers will visit one place, deputies will visit another, senators will go one way and I'll go another. I dare our opponents to walk around this country and talk about its problems like that.”

The former president also talked about the difficulties in the current economic situation. He urged social movements to come out in support for the achievements of the Workers' Party administrations, including better income distribution, access to credit, and lower poverty levels. Lula conceded that Rousseff may have made mistakes, but said the problems the country is facing are not her sole responsibility.

“They're our problems. Of course she'll make mistakes, just as I do, and anyone does. (But) we have to help her fix them, so we can make this a much better country,” Lula said. He blamed the economic difficulties on the global crisis and asked people to give Rousseff time to overcome problems.

Translated by Mayra Borges