fPT chairman Ricardo Berzoini made the official statement after meeting with President Lula in the Planalto, the presidential office in Brazilian capital Brasília.
"We have great love and respect for Dilma, she can be the party's presidential candidate for the elections of October 2010," said Berzoini, according to a report from daily O Estado de São Paulo.
Berzoini's statement was interpreted as a signal the PT, as with the opposition party PSDB (Social-Democrats) are preparing for an informal launching of the 2010 campaign.
"Democracy inside the PT is guaranteed but the word of the president will have an enormous weight," added Berzoini. The ruling party will formally nominate its 2010 presidential candidate and "the party does not discard other hopefuls."
Lula, with an 80% public opinion support, can't aspire to a third running mandate according to the Brazilian constitution. He has also rejected his ruling party's attempts to introduce a constitutional amendment, arguing: "Eight years is enough and three running periods are not good for democracy".
Last week in a meeting with foreign correspondents reiterated that Dilma Rousseff, currently cabinet chief "has all the aptitudes to dispute the presidency."
Meantime, according to the Brazilian press, Rousseff remains in Porto Alegre, south of Brazil, where last Saturday she underwent facial plastic surgery.
Brazilian political analysts see this as another clear signal that it is part of Rousseff's image marketing in her bid for the presidency.
Mercopress