By Lise Alves, Senior Contributing Reporter
SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – An all-out campaign was launched by the PT (Workers’ Party) on Thursday, August 27th, to show support for the government of President Dilma Rousseff and the Workers’ Party itself. Officials at the seminar for PT state representatives in São Paulo decided to launch an offensive starting September 15th, to show their support for the Administration and to improve the party’s image.
“All [PT members] have agreed to give at least two weekends [for the offensive],” stated Romênio Pereira, PT secretary general. According to Pereira, party members will promote rallies in 800 municipalities throughout Brazil from the middle of September to the end of November. “There will be no closed meetings, we will go to the streets,” he added.
The seminar was organized to discuss the direction the PT party should take in the coming months and how to dissolve the anti-government and anti-PT sentiment which has been growing since Rousseff was re-elected in October of 2014. The ailing economy and charges of widespread corruption among public officials have tarnished the image of the once all powerful PT party, with some of the organization’s top leaders, such as former Chief of Staff Jose Dirceu, being arrested accused of being part of the multi-billion dollar corruption scheme known as Lava Jato (Carwash).
With criticism mounting, PT officials, through the voices of Rousseff and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, have been trying to distance themselves from the corruption scandal, but recently admitted the problems facing the country’s economy.
“I know that much needs to be improved. There are many Brazilians suffering. Together, however, we will get through. We are updating the fundamentals of our economy and we will once again grow with all our potential,” says Rousseff in one of the thirty-second commercials by the PT party which has been shown on national TV since last week.
Former President Lula goes on to say that he knows the situation is complicated but believes ‘Brazil is too big to be scared of an economic crisis’. “I have no doubt that we will win this one. With the help from all we will control inflation, generate jobs and defeat pessimism. Brazil will once again grow, you can count on it,” he tells his viewers.
The question now, say analysts, is if the Brazilian population will once again believe and support the party which was once hailed as the protector of Brazil’s working class.