Axis of "Social Justice"?
Posted on 01/24/2003 1:18:15 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
Anti-globalization protesters greeted Brazil's new leftist president like a rock star at the World Social Forum on Friday, cheering the one-time revolutionary as one of their own.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had breakfast with the socialist mayor of Porto Alegre, talked with forum organizers and held an afternoon meeting with former Portuguese President Mario Soares, founder of Portugal's socialist party.
Soares said Silva, who has made fighting hunger in Brazil his top priority, is "real proof that there can be social participation in government."
Hundreds of Brazilians and foreigners attending the six-day forum chanted "Lula! Our President!" when Silva, popularly known as Lula, visited Porto Alegre's state government palace on Friday.
"There's never been a president of Brazil who's been a laborer," said Emilio Penna, a 26-year-old Uruguayan university student. "Politics have always been in the hands of the rich."
The son of a poor farmer, Silva dropped out of school to help support his family and became a symbol of hope for Latin America's impoverished millions after his landslide election in October.
He also embodies the type of success that his supporters say makes him a perfect fit at the World Social Forum, which is a counterpoint to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, a gathering this week of the world's economic movers and shakers at the alpine ski resort of Davos.
In an indirect reference to a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq, Silva told forum organizers he is against war to resolve international conflicts, according to foreign relations adviser Marco Aurelio Garcia.
Crowds mobbed the smiling president when he arrived in a motorcade at his hotel late Thursday night. Frustrating his security detail, the former union leader spent 10 chaotic minutes shaking hands and hugging admirers outside the hotel and inside its lobby.
Silva was scheduled to speak before an estimated 100,000 anti-globalization protesters Friday evening on the same stage where Brazilian pop stars like Jorge Ben Jor are putting on shows at the end of each day of the forum.
Silva was to then fly to Davos, where his spokesman Andre Singer said he planned to carry a message to economic forum participants that "the world must change" and economic injustice must end.
Before his Jan. 1 inauguration, Silva named fiscal moderates to his economic team, and they have pleased investors by taking pains to stress that Brazil won't adopt any unconventional fiscal policies.
The head of Silva's Workers Party tried to deflect criticism from some activists that Silva will mingle with the rich and powerful in Davos.
"He has to go there anyway," said Jose Genoino. "We hope he'll open all doors to carry the vision of his government to all international forums."
Some forum participants conceded it's only natural that Silva would attend both events now that he's president of the country with the planet's fifth-largest population and 12th-biggest economy.
"He is a symbol of new hopes that a poor country can solve its problems," said Brazilian electronics salesman Eduardo Martins da Costa, 34. "And he has to speak more rationally now, not with as much radicalism like he did before."
One can confidentally predict within a few years this champion of labor will be pilloried for being coopted by the power elite of Brazil.
Even while you're pulling the wool over their eyes. Suckers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
