Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – known as Lula – will deliver a more democratic and prosperous Brazil, European socialists said from São Paulo, Brazil.
President of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Sergei Stanishev, PES Vice President Francisco André, and PES Deputy Secretary General Giacomo Filibeck, took part in a Socialist and Democrats Group in the European Parliament (S&D) delegation to Brazil, led by S&D President Iratxe García Pérez.
Progressives travelled to Brazil to meet with civil society, Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT) candidate for governor of São Paulo Fernando Haddad, and concluded the mission with a meeting with Lula, who is running to become president of Brazil after previously serving as president from 2003 to 2010.
PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“We are in Brazil to build bonds with our progressive partners and to show our complete support for Lula and his campaign.
“In Europe, we have been observing developments in Brazil closely. We have become very concerned about the violence and brutalisation imposed by the populist right, under President Bolsonaro. We will continue to watch closely, because we know that these right-wing forces want to undermine this election. This must not be allowed to happen: democracy must prevail.
“In the PES, we will be very active, and we will do our best with progressives in Europe to support Brazilian democracy and Lula’s campaign. Lula is offering Brazil a brighter, more prosperous and more democratic future.”
During the meeting, Sergei Stanishev, Iratxe García, and the President of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT), Gleisi Hoffmann, agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation to strengthen the links between the PES, S&D and PT to coordinate political positions on common global issues such as democracy, human rights, social justice, equality and solidarity for just, sustainable and inclusive societies.
The PES has always been supportive of the fight of Lula for a more democratic, just, and prosperous Brazil and we were among the first to welcome the restitution of his political rights.
