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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Quotes (1945-)
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About Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (born October 27, 1945) is a Brazilian politician and former trade union leader currently serving as the 39th President of Brazil since 1 January 2023. He previously served as the 35th President of Brazil from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2010. The Brazilian Supreme Court in 2021 overturned Lula's convictions for corruption because he had not received a fair trial.
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“I am the son of an illiterate father and mother.”
“The foundation is in place, and now we have to get to work.”
“If the US is the country that most contributes with greenhouse gases, in the world, it should assume more responsibility to reduce emissions.”
“From an ethical point of view the price difference is grotesque and from a political point of view, it represents a lack of respect, as though a sick Brazilian is inferior.”
“Brazil has rediscovered itself, and this rediscovery is being expressed in its people's enthusiasm and their desire to mobilize to face the huge problems that lie ahead of us.”
“This is a crisis that was caused by people, white with blue eyes. And before the crisis they looked as if they knew everything about economics.”
“Every night I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar. Why can't we do based on our own currencies? Who was it that decided that the dollar was the currency after the disappearance of the gold standard?”
“A long time ago I learned not to put the blame for backwardness in Brazil on the US. We have to blame ourselves. Our backwardness is caused by an elite which for a century didn't think about the majority and subordinated itself to foreign interests.”
“Does anyone really think the US is going to favour Brazil? [...] Americans think of themselves first, second, third, fourth, fifth – and if there’s any time left over they think about Americans. And these Brazilian lackeys go around thinking the Americans will do anything for us.”
“If there is something which I am proud, in this country, it is that there is no living soul more honest than me. Not even in the Federal Police, not even in the Public Ministry, not even in the Catholic Church, not even in the evangelical church. There may be just as equal, but I doubt it.”
“I want to know if the people are in the shit and I want to take the people out of the shit in which they are." – during a speech in São Luís, the capital of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. After recognizing he cursed, he stated: "Of course I cursed. Tomorrow, commentators of the major newspapers will say that Lula cursed, but I'm aware that they curse more than I do everyday, and I'm aware of how the poor people of this country live.”
“How can the world’s largest economic power say that it has no milk for children after President Biden announced $40 billion to buy arms meant for the war in Ukraine? (During his presidential campaign in 2022)
... Zelensky is as responsible as Putin for the war. Because in the war, there’s not just one person guilty... (in an interview with Time magazine May 2022)
If I win the election we will make an effort for dialogue to establish peace again. We are not interested in any type of war (tweeted in August 2022)
The only position that interests Brazil in terms of the question of Ukraine and Russia is peace. The time of war is the time of destruction. The world needs peace, addressing the issue of the climate, and ending hunger. (Tweeted in October 2022)”
... Zelensky is as responsible as Putin for the war. Because in the war, there’s not just one person guilty... (in an interview with Time magazine May 2022)
If I win the election we will make an effort for dialogue to establish peace again. We are not interested in any type of war (tweeted in August 2022)
The only position that interests Brazil in terms of the question of Ukraine and Russia is peace. The time of war is the time of destruction. The world needs peace, addressing the issue of the climate, and ending hunger. (Tweeted in October 2022)”
“[Q:] So Volodomyr Zelensky should have talked to Putin more, even with 100,000 Russian troops at his border?
[A:] I don’t know the President of Ukraine. But his behavior is a bit weird. It seems like he’s part of the spectacle. He is on television morning, noon, and night. He is in the U.K. parliament, the German parliament, the French parliament, the Italian parliament, as if he were waging a political campaign. He should be at the negotiating table.
[Q:] Can you really say that to Zelensky? He didn’t want a war, it came to him.
[A:] He did want war. If he didn’t want war, he would have negotiated a little more. That’s it. I criticized Putin when I was in Mexico City [in March], saying that it was a mistake to invade. But I don’t think anyone is trying to help create peace. People are stimulating hate against Putin. That won’t solve things! We need to reach an agreement. But people are encouraging [the war]. You are encouraging this guy [Zelensky], and then he thinks he is the cherry on your cake. We should be having a serious conversation: "OK, you were a nice comedian. But let us not make war for you to show up on TV." And we should say to Putin: "You have a lot of weapons, but you don’t need to use them on Ukraine. Let’s talk!"”
[A:] I don’t know the President of Ukraine. But his behavior is a bit weird. It seems like he’s part of the spectacle. He is on television morning, noon, and night. He is in the U.K. parliament, the German parliament, the French parliament, the Italian parliament, as if he were waging a political campaign. He should be at the negotiating table.
[Q:] Can you really say that to Zelensky? He didn’t want a war, it came to him.
[A:] He did want war. If he didn’t want war, he would have negotiated a little more. That’s it. I criticized Putin when I was in Mexico City [in March], saying that it was a mistake to invade. But I don’t think anyone is trying to help create peace. People are stimulating hate against Putin. That won’t solve things! We need to reach an agreement. But people are encouraging [the war]. You are encouraging this guy [Zelensky], and then he thinks he is the cherry on your cake. We should be having a serious conversation: "OK, you were a nice comedian. But let us not make war for you to show up on TV." And we should say to Putin: "You have a lot of weapons, but you don’t need to use them on Ukraine. Let’s talk!"”
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Iraq War
“In my opinion, it disrespects the United Nations. It doesn't take into account what the rest of the world thinks. And I think this is serious.”
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Brazil
“Brazil has rediscovered itself, and this rediscovery is being expressed in its people's enthusiasm and their desire to mobilize to face the huge problems that lie ahead of us.”
Quotes About Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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Amy Goodman on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
“Lula’s presidency with its historically diverse cabinet opens the door to progressive change, to challenge the rising global tide of authoritarianism and fascism.”
Ben Norton, Latin America refuses to send Ukraine weapons, despite Western pressure, on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
“Germany announced on January 25 that it would send tanks to Ukraine, in a significant escalation of the NATO proxy war against Russia. Berlin subsequently asked Brazil to ship tank munitions to Kiev. But newly inaugurated left-wing President Lula da Silva declined to do so. Lula was a co-founder of the BRICS bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. He has long called for a multipolar world, and supports South-South cooperation and regional integration. Lula has denounced Western governments for ramping up the violence in Ukraine instead of encouraging peace negotiations.”
Barack Obama on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva 2 quotes
“That's my man right there, the most popular politician on earth.”
Arundhati Roy on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
“No individual nation can stand up to the project of corporate globalization on its own. Time and again we have seen that when it comes to the neo-liberal project, the heroes of our times are suddenly diminished. Extraordinary, charismatic men, giants in the opposition, when they seize power and become heads of state, they become powerless on the global stage. I'm thinking here of President Lula of Brazil. Lula was the hero of the World Social Forum (WSF) last year. This year he's busy implementing IMF guidelines, reducing pension benefits, and purging radicals from the Workers' Party.”
About Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (born October 27, 1945) is a Brazilian politician and former trade union leader currently serving as the 39th President of Brazil since 1 January 2023. He previously served as the 35th President of Brazil from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2010. The Brazilian Supreme Court in 2021 overturned Lula's convictions for corruption because he had not received a fair trial.