Brasilia, January 1 (RHC)-- The president of Brazil, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, once again put the fight against misery and hunger in the South American giant at the center of his policy, once he was sworn in for a new mandate this Sunday in the capital, Brasilia.

According to the president, he returned to the Brazilian presidency was "thanks to the political conscience of Brazilian society and the democratic front that we formed."   "Democracy was the great winner, overcoming the greatest mobilization of public and private resources ever seen, the most violent threats to the freedom of the people and the most abject campaign of lies and hatred.  In spite of everything, the decision of the ballot box prevailed."

Lula said that when he was elected president for the first time, he began his "inauguration speech with the word change.   The change we intended was simply to implement the constitutional precepts.  The right to a dignified life, without hunger, with access to employment, health and education."

He recalled that he said, on that occasion, that the mission of his "life would be fulfilled when every Brazilian man and woman could eat three meals a day.  Having to repeat this commitment today is the most serious symptom of the devastation he has imposed on the country in recent years."

Lula recalled that no nation can survive in conditions of misery and therefore promised to rescue 33 million people from hunger and 100 million people in total from poverty.   But he noted that he had received "a ruined country whose government (of Jair Bolsonaro) has depleted resources."

Although he described as "destruction" the work carried out by Bolsonaro's government, he said that he is not animated by a spirit of revenge, although he will use justice to clear up all the crimes committed in recent years. 

"Democracy must be rebuilt in our country," Lula said.  In the same sense, he explained some basic ideas of what will be his government program in economic matters, which seeks the reactivation of the country and the promotion of employment. He promised to put an end to "the shameful unemployment line."

The President said that "Brazil must be at the forefront of the global economy."   He also promised to achieve "zero deforestation" in the Amazon.  Lula explained the reasons for the creation or rescue of the ministries that will be part of his Cabinet: human rights, women, justice, indigenous peoples and environment, among others.

Regarding the latter, he stated: "No other country has the conditions Brazil has to become a great environmental power.  We are going to start the energy and ecological transition towards sustainable agriculture and mining, a stronger family agriculture and a greener industry."

On the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, whose responsibility he attributed to former President Bolsonaro, Lula said it was the result of "the criminal attitude of a denialist government and insensitive to life. The responsibilities of this genocide must be investigated and must not go unpunished.  What we have to do, at this moment, is to show our solidarity with the families of almost 700,000 victims."

Regarding the international projection, the new president stated that "the relevance of the elections in Brazil refers, finally, to the threats that the democratic model has been facing. All over the planet a wave of authoritarian extremism is spreading hatred and lies through technological means that are not subject to transparent controls".

In short, Lula affirmed that now his "most important mission will be to honor the trust received and respond to the hopes of a suffering people, who never lost faith in the future or in their capacity to overcome challenges".

"There are not two Brazils", Lula ratifies before the popular rally that greeted him this day.

After the ceremonies in the Congress, Lula addressed those who gathered to greet him outside the Planalto Palace: "A way to remember and return the affection and strength I received every day from the Brazilian people, represented by the Lula Livre Vigil, in one of the most difficult moments of my life," he said at the beginning of his speech.

The president ratified the main lines of the message delivered an hour earlier in the parliament.  He also said that he will govern "for the 215 million Brazilians, and not only for those who voted for me.  I will govern for each and every one, looking towards our common bright future, and not through the rear-view mirror of a past."

Recalling his inauguration speech in 2003, Lula said that the main commitment he made at that time "was to fight against inequality and extreme poverty, and to guarantee all people the right to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, and we fulfilled that commitment", however, he regretted that "20 years later, we are returning to a past we thought was buried".

He ratified, on the other hand, that the Government that takes office this Sunday is committed "to fight day and night all forms of inequality.  Income, gender and race.  Inequality between those who throw away food and those who only eat the leftovers.  It is unacceptable that the richest 5 percent have the same share of income as the other 95 percent," he said.

In another part of his speech, the president pointed out the achievements of the PT governments (2003-2016) but qualified that "we are not interested in living in the past.  Therefore, far from any nostalgia, our legacy will always be the mirror of the future we are going to build for this country".

Lula concluded that the 2016 coup d'état, against President Dilma Rousseff, was finally defeated last October 30, 2022.   

Ultimately, Lula concluded his words by asking the attendees "that today's joy be the raw material of tomorrow's struggle and of all the days to come.  May today's hope ferment the bread that will be shared among all."