‘Brazil cannot lose democracy’ - Lula rallies supporters ahead of Bolsonaro runoff
Key Takeaways
- Lula urged around 30 million voters who abstained in the first round to participate in the runoff.
- He defended democracy and outlined proposals covering artificial intelligence, education, energy and public security.
- The rally followed a first round in which Flavio Bolsonaro received 47.03% of valid votes against Lula's 45.16%.
Lula urged millions of voters who missed the first round to participate in the presidential runoff as he outlined plans for education, technology and public security.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called on millions of voters who abstained in the first round of the presidential election to return to the polls, as he rallied supporters in Sao Paulo ahead of his runoff against Flavio Bolsonaro.
Speaking at a mass gathering that drew more than one million people, according to the government, Lula said around 30 million eligible voters had failed to cast their ballots in the first round.
He particularly encouraged older Brazilians to participate, noting that voting is not compulsory for people over 70.
"We have an obligation to speak to those who believe they no longer have the right to vote," Lula said.
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The president also urged Brazilians to defend the country's democratic institutions.
"This country cannot lose democracy, however imperfect it may be," he said.
Lula stressed that young people should have a greater say in government decisions and that political participation should extend beyond elected officials.
"We must listen to young people. It is not enough to do things from the top down," he maintained.
The president also criticised the "Bolsonaro family" over its record, particularly the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic under former President Jair Bolsonaro.
"You know what it means for a president to laugh at people who were dying of asphyxiation for lack of oxygen. You saw how many millions of people were buried in black bags without being able to say goodbye to their families, because we had an irresponsible president who distrusted the media, did not believe in medicine and prescribed a drug that was useless," Lula said.
Turning to his campaign proposals, Lula outlined plans to strengthen Brazil's technology sector through professional training in artificial intelligence and the digital industry.
He also promised reforms in energy and public security.
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"We will have to carry out an energy revolution. We will have to carry out a revolution in public security, because we need to guarantee the people's safety and imprison criminals, so that society can live in peace," he said.
On education, Lula said the number of university graduates in Brazil's labour market had increased from 4.8 million in 2003 to 26 million today, according to figures he presented.
He set a target of 50 million graduates and said expanding university education must be accompanied by quality employment opportunities.
The rally took place seven days after Brazil's October 4 presidential election, in which Flavio Bolsonaro received 47.03 per cent of valid votes, compared with Lula's 45.16 per cent.
Neither candidate secured an outright majority, sending the election to a runoff between the two contenders.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
