Lula da Silva proposes to strengthen the BRICS group and resume South American integration

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, during his inauguration speech on Sunday, called for the recovery of Brazil’s leading role on the international stage as a socially and environmentally responsible country, as well as strengthening the BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) and resume South American integration.

Lula da Silva, who already governed the South American country between 2003 and 2010, assumed a third four-year presidential term on Sunday.

“The world hopes that Brazil will once again be a leader in the fight against the climate crisis and an example of a socially and environmentally responsible country, capable of promoting economic growth with income distribution, fighting hunger and poverty, within the process democratic,” he said in his speech.

“Our leading role will materialize through the resumption of South American integration, beginning with Mercosur (Common Market of the South), the revitalization of Unasur (Union of South American Nations) and other instances of sovereign articulation in the region,” he said.

“On this basis we will be able to rebuild a proud and active dialogue with the United States, the European Community, China, the countries of the East and other global players, reinforcing the BRICS, cooperation with the countries of Africa and breaking the isolation to which the country,” he added.

The ex-unionist said that “Brazil has to be its own master, master of its destiny” and “become a sovereign country again.”

“We are responsible for most of the Amazon and for vast biomes, large aquifers, mineral deposits, oil and clean energy sources. With sovereignty and responsibility we will be respected to share this greatness with humanity, in solidarity, never in subordination”, he pointed.

He also devoted a comment to the relevance of the elections in Brazil in relation to “the threats that the democratic model has been facing.”

He said that a wave of authoritarian extremism is being articulated across the planet that spreads hate and lies through technological means not subject to transparent controls.

“We defend full freedom of expression, aware that it is urgent to create democratic instances of access to reliable information and demand responsibilities from the media with which the poison of hatred and lies is inoculated. It is a challenge for civilization, as it is to overcome wars, the climate crisis, hunger and inequality on the planet,” he said.

The Brazilian president said that “denying politics, devaluing it and criminalizing it is the path of tyrannies.”

“I reaffirm for Brazil and for the world, the conviction that politics, in its highest sense and despite all its limitations, is the best path for dialogue between divergent interests, for the peaceful construction of consensus,” he said.

With information from Xinhua