Mr. Speaker, last Sunday the people of Brazil elected Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as their president.
The election of Lula, a democratic socialist and leader of the PT or Workers' Party in the fifth largest democracy in the world of 175 million people, gives great hope to the poor, landless and marginalized people of Brazil. Lula has pledged to build a country that has more justice, brotherhood and solidarity. He has put fighting poverty at the top of his agenda. His party, along with social movements, held a people's plebiscite last month in which 10 million people voted 85% against the FTAA. Lula faces huge challenges as the first left wing president in Brazil's history.
My colleagues and I in the New Democratic Party wish to congratulate him and his party on this historic victory. As Lula said “hope won over fear”. Agora é Lula. Lula lá.