Lula rethinks his succession

Riding unprecedented popularity in recent republican history of Brazil, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, the migrant turned president, has only one concern wrinkling his forehead: his own succession.

It makes no sense to allow in an oversight that the fabulous political wealth accumulated in a whole lifetime of struggles and battles, especially over the last seven years, is sprayed in a barely-rehearsed maneuver that bring again the forces of delay to Planalto Palace.

Lula has governed under dense and crossed fire. It has been so throughout Brazilian history, with all those leaders who have held and do hold commitments to the majority of the population.

Because of his so popular origins, an unforgivable crime from certain people’s point of view, he faced the fury and the permanent scorn, far beyond the limits of what’s understandable and of what’s acceptable.
For his limited schooling, he faced day and night misgivings about his intelligence, as if the owner of such a life path could be less than brilliant.
He was extremely cautious, even timid in the eyes of many who were concerned and mutinied against the immensity of the values sterilized by the public debt and by the financial merry-go-round organized around it or against the continuing of the auctions of Brazilian oil.
He apparently missed a plan that lend clearer or more consistent course to his actions, or he have missed, perhaps, the political conditions to wield such a plan.
Only by being in his skin to scale the forces and the pressures that were exerted on the president..

I had occasion to meet him over the late 1970’s, when he was an unionist and I was an unionist also. I’ve organized his first coming to Curitiba for a seminar. Even though my relative inexperience and youth at the time, I could see that I was not in contact with a common man.

The fact is that the country, virtually prevented at the end of disastrous mandates of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, is now, seven years later, in better political, economic and social situation and even and especially presenting better self-esteem and animus (mood). Animus comes from the Latin anima (soul); Lula helped Brazilian people to restore the health of his soul that was sick.

Even faced with the unexpected and huge dragon of world-wide financial and economic crisis did well Luís Inácio, against the melancholy of recipes that certain people tried to prescribe to the nation and thanks to the early and far-sighted action of another character whose central importance will become increasingly clear over my story.

Months before the outbreak of the monstrous offsprings of the crisis, yet Roberto Requião congregated at Curitiba, in an objective and structured seminar, some of the most expert and respected economists and economic thinkers from Brazil, Europe, the United States and Latin America, not only for diagnosing and understanding of the crisis, but also and especially to prescribe non bitter medicines to overcome it.

They have been friends, they are friends for life, Luis Inácio and Roberto Requião, and in recent years they have lived quietly, one of the most productive partnerships in national politics.

The long and unassailable experience of Roberto Requião, who was an state representative, the mayor of Curitiba, the state secretary of urban development, a senator of the republic and who is now and by the third time, the governor of Paraná state, would not pass unnoticed by a man as shrewd and perceptive as Lula is, although they were not partners for so long. A practical man as he is, the president would certainly rely on the experience and knowledge of his friend.

Requião always worked, with intelligence and strength, affirming the rule of law and the strengthening of democracy. Since his first election as a state representative in 1982, at the great turn of the PMDB towards democracy, along with José Richa, Alvaro Dias and Mauricio Fruet.

He never left his party, the Party of the Democratic Brazilian Movement, PMDB.

Known for his loyalty and determination, he has designed and implemented public policies that always pursue the construction of large and inclusive labor, production and consumption markets and that enable and strengthen people's rights to health, education, security and work, among others.
For all forms he has defended Brazilian nationality, committing himself to numerous and creative ways to Brazil to be endowed with a consistent project for the future.
He is above all a reliable man of firm commitments, diplomatic and realistic, deep knower of the structure of Brazilian society, who constantly inspires his career in the principles and ideals of the Charter of Puebla.
He is also, and it is increasingly clear, the best alternative to Lula for his succession.
PMDB’s historic, illustrious and distinguished member, he is its number 1 affiliated at Paraná state, lending as well, a significant ballast of governance to the next presidential term.

Any minimally informed observers will know, too, that his relations with other political forces are fraternal and productive, illustrating my statement the presence of Toucans, PT and other supporters of various parties, in his government, as well as the fruitful partnerships he keeps with the legislature and the judiciary.

Requião is the safe step forward: in the same strong and continuing way he retrieved the public finances of Paraná, he reorganized the state companies as Copel and Sanepar and he built strong public policies for businessmen, for workers and for the general population, he is already pointing the way to crucial issues such as those on the public debt and on Brazilian oil:

All those individuals and companies that today invest in government securities, taking advantage of high interest rates set by COPOM, can redirect their resources to also profitable and secure financing of the myriad of infrastructure works that the country has demanded for decades, as those international companies engaged in oil exploration can continue to do so, under a new set of laws that guarantee the interests of Brazilian population and the preponderance of a Petrobras with less shares at the New York Stock Exchange and more shares under direct control of the Brazilian national state.

Dilma and Requião have also been friends for many years: this extraordinary woman will not miss greatness to understand that Brazil needs a strong and incorruptible union to advance towards peace, justice and prosperity.

Heloise and Marina, dear friends of Requião since the Senate times, they too will join this union, knowers of his past, his character and his proposals for the future.

Ciro, who is also a good friend of him, certainly will get sensitized, among other things, by the consistency of the proposals of Requião for the Northeast.

Main protagonist of this story, we, the Brazilian people, for sure will not miss these two talented our servers: Lula and Requião, my brother.