Lula preaches unity at Christmas, but uses division as a strategy

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), in a Christmas message broadcast on national radio and television this Sunday (24), asked Brazil for unity in the face of polarization. However, throughout the year, he himself bet on division as a political strategy, constantly criticizing his opponents, especially former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

Recalling the invasion of the headquarters of the Three Powers on January 8, Lula said that hatred against democracy “left deep scars and divided the country”, but that the “coup attempt”, according to him, resulted in the unity of the country’s institutions , above ideologies.

“At the end of that sad 8th of January, democracy emerged victorious and strengthened. We were able to restore the windows in record time, but we need to restore peace and unity between friends and family”, he said, and then added that dialogue between people, combating fake news and hate speech. “We are one people and one country… Let us remain united next year, walking together towards the construction of an increasingly developed, more fraternal and fair country for all families”, he concluded.

Despite the conciliatory Christmas message, the president chose another path throughout 2023, when he harshly criticized political opponents and encouraged polarization. He has already called Bolsonaro’s followers “extremists”, “wild animals”, “uncivilized” and “crazy people loose on the streets”. In the name of “fighting hate” in society, Lula has been inciting supporters against a significant part of the electorate and distancing himself from the promise to end ideological polarization, in favor of pacification.

A recent example of this was the speech he gave at a Workers’ Party (PT) convention at the beginning of the month. He told his supporters at the time: “We know that (you) cannot accept provocations, you cannot be afraid, you cannot tuck your tail between your legs. When a dog barks at us, we bark too.”

Another controversial phrase from Lula that year was directed at Paraná senator Sergio Moro (União), a former Lava Jato judge. In an interview with the PT website Brasil 247, the president spoke about a desire for revenge against Moro. “Every now and then a prosecutor would come to visit on a Saturday or week to see if everything was ok, three or four would come in and ask ‘is everything ok?’, and I said ‘no, it’s not ok, it’s only going to be ok when I f… this Moro. I’m here to get revenge on these people’”.

Not only Bolsonaro, whom Lula calls “fascist” and “genocidal”, and Moro were targets of the president this year, but also segments that strengthened his political opponent in the past elections. He, for example, said that part of the country’s farmers are “fascists” and “denialists”.

“There is the famous agricultural fair in Ribeirão Preto, which some fascists, some denialists, didn’t want it to be. [ministro da Agricultura, Carlos Fávaro] was at the fair. They disinvited my minister”, said Lula – although Fávaro was, indeed, invited to the fair.

In his Christmas message, Lula left aside his aggressive speech. When talking about public investments, she said that her government had “partnered with states and municipalities, without asking which party the governor or mayor is”.

What else did Lula say in his Christmas speech?

In his Christmas speech, Lula also made a positive assessment of his first year in government in this third term at the head of the Palácio do Planalto, praising the approval of the tax reform, his foreign policy and better economic indicators than expected by the market.

“The country is once again being heard in the most important international forums, on topics such as combating hunger, inequality, the search for peace and tackling the climate emergency”, he said, also citing a drop in deforestation in the Amazon until November.

Regarding tax reform, he said that “in addition to stimulating investment and exports”, the proposal enacted last week “corrects an injustice: now, those who earn more will pay more tax, and those who earn less will pay less”.

“We have increased investments in health and education and are supporting States in the fight against organized crime. In addition to heavy weapons, we seized R$6 billion in drug trafficking assets, including cash, apartments, mansions, luxury cars and even planes and helicopters,” he stated – although public security has been one of the main image problems for the government and for the PT in 2023, with the news of an increase in violence in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro and, more recently, the visit of the “drug lady” from Amazonas to the Ministry of Justice.

Read Lula’s full message

“My friends, one of the greatest joys in life is being able to harvest what you sow. That’s why I consider myself a happy person. 2023 was the time to plant and rebuild. We plow the land, sow the seeds, water Every day, we take great care of Brazil and the Brazilian people and create all the conditions to have a generous harvest in 2024.

We brought back and strengthened social policies that changed Brazil, such as Bolsa Família, Minha Casa, Minha Vida, Mais Médicos and Farmácia Popular.

The GDP [Produto Interno Bruto], which is the sum of all the wealth that the country produces, grew above market forecasts. Inflation is under control, fuel prices are falling and food has become cheaper. The dollar fell and the Stock Exchange is breaking records. We generated 2 million new formal jobs. The minimum wage rose again above inflation and more than 80% of professional categories also saw a real increase. We approve equal pay between men and women. Equal work, equal pay.

With Desenrola, millions of Brazilians renegotiated their debts with discounts of up to 98%. We take responsible care of public resources. We invested where we needed to invest, in partnership with states and municipalities, without asking which party the governor or mayor was.

We approve taxation of the super-rich. We achieved a historic feat: the approval of tax reform, something that had been attempted for 40 years in Brazil. In addition to stimulating investment and exports, the reform corrects an injustice: now, those who earn more will pay more tax, and those who earn less will pay less;

We have increased investments in health and education and are supporting states in the fight against organized crime. In addition to heavy weapons, we seized R$6 billion in drug trafficking assets, including cash, apartments, mansions, luxury cars and even planes and helicopters.

My friends, Brazil once again has a real government. In 2024, we will work hard to exceed, once again, all expectations. The 2023-2024 Harvest Plan is the largest in history. The New Industrial Policy will generate more and better jobs, more qualifications and better salaries. With the New PAC, R$1 trillion and 700 billion will be invested in the infrastructure that Brazil so desperately needs, with the creation of 4 million jobs.

We have recovered dialogue with the world and our international credibility. We went from the 12th to the 9th largest economy on the planet. The country was once again heard in the most important international forums, on topics such as combating hunger, inequality, the search for peace and tackling the climate emergency.

Deforestation in the Amazon fell 68% in November. We increased investments in biofuels and wind and solar energy generation. We are taking the first steps in the production of green hydrogen, the energy of the future. We consolidate Brazil’s role as a global power in the production of renewable energy.

My friends, the hatred of some against democracy has left deep scars and divided the country. It disunited families. It put democracy at risk. They broke windows, invaded and vandalized public buildings, destroyed works of art and historical objects.

Fortunately, the coup attempt had the opposite effect. It united all institutions, mobilized political parties above ideologies, and provoked a prompt reaction from society. And at the end of that sad January 8th, democracy emerged victorious and strengthened. We were able to restore the windows in record time, but we still need to restore peace and unity among friends and family. My wish at the end of the year is for Brazil to embrace Brazil. We are one people and one country.

Let’s fight fake news, misinformation and hate speech. Value the truth, dialogue between people. May we remain united next year, walking together towards building an increasingly developed, more fraternal and fair country for all families. A Merry Christmas and a 2024 the size of our dreams. A big hug”.