Brazil's former president Lula speaks at anti-privatization rally

Brazil's former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke out for Brazil's state-owned corporations (called “public enterprises” in Brazil) and criticized any attempts to privatize them. He spoke at the launch event of a campaign called “If It's Public, It's Everyone's” on Monday (Jun 6), attended by several political and union leaders and intellectuals in downtown Rio.

Lula mentioned the historical importance of a number of the countries' state-owned enterprises. “Our treasured Banco do Brasil, which some dare say should be privatized, was founded in 1808, Caixa Econômica Federal [Brazil's federal savings bank] was established in 1861. The Casa da Moeda [the national mint] was created 300 years ago,” he said. He went on to defend Petrobras and say his administration helped expand the state-owned petroleum company and its prospecting capabilities with the discovery of the pre-salt oil layer.

Finally, the former president told the crowd that it was too early to talk about Brazil's 2018 presidential elections, but emphasized his opponents feel threatened by the prospect that he runs for office. “It is too early to discuss 2018 [elections], there are so many new, good [competent] people out there. But let me say something: they won't keep ups from traveling this country denouncing the things we're going to denounce. Because it took so long and so many people died, were tortured and massacred before we could one day make it to government.”

At the end of his 40-minute speech, Lula admitted, without giving details, that there have been mistakes in the administration of President Dilma Rousseff, who is currently suspended to stand an impeachment trial. “And we want her back, just so she can fix the mistakes we've made”, he said. Rousseff is Lula's successor and fellow partisan at the Workers' Party (PT).

The “If It's Public, It's Everyone's” campaign is organized by the National Committee for Public Enterprises to oppose the privatization of national state-owned companies.

Translated by Mayra Borges