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31st October 2022.
STATEMENT ON THE VICTORY OF LUIZ INACIO LUI.A DA SILVA, IN BRAZIL
THE PRESDENTIAL ELECTION IN BRAZIL
The leadership of the Socialist Movement of Ghana (SMG) congratulates comrade Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva, candidate of the workers Party of Brazil in his dramatic and significant victory
in the just ended Presidential Election.
Results released by the electoral authoritiesin Brazil show that Lula, a formerfactory worker
who became the first working class President twenty years ago secured 50.9 percent of votes
cast as against his opponent, the right-wing politician Jai Bolsonaro who got 49.1 percent.
In a victory speech Lula promised to reunite the country, fight social and economic inequality
and tackle environmental degradation which became one of the hallmarks oftheBolsonaro era.
Lula is expected to promote unity and solidarity with progressive countries in Latin American
struggling against the meddling of forces of imperialism led by the United States of America.
It is significant that Lula’s victory has come at a time when the United States of America has
imposed draconian sanctions on countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela in a futile
attempt to subvert the revolutionary movement.
In spite of these subversive moves, the people of Brazil have joined the people of several other
countries in the region including Columbia, Chile, Bolivia and Peru to reject the imposition of
the neo-liberal agenda of re-colonisation and stagnation.
In congratulating President-elect Lula, the SMG is hopeful that the new leadership in Brazil
will work very closely with other progressive forces in the region to repel imperialist
aggression, end the sanctions imposed on progressive governments and mobilize themassesin
the bold confrontation with all manifestation of poverty including the lack of access to social
services such as education, housing, and healthcare.
We are also mindful of the fact that Brazil is home to the largest African diaspora in the world
which has been subjected to racist abuse and been excluded from mainstream economic
endeavour. The SMG is confident that a Lula government will address the problem of racial
inequality and build a new Brazil in which the people will not be valued on the basis of their
race origins or the colour of their skin.
Lula’s statement “I will govern for 215 million Brazilians. and not just for those who voted for
me. There are not two Brazils. We are one country; one people and a great nation” gives us
hope.
The quest for social justice and better working and living conditions for the people of Brazil
has entered a new phase and we offer our fullest solidarity.
Signed.
Kwesi Pratt Jnr
General Secretary.
Socialist Movement of Ghana, (SMG)