"In ten to fifteen years this country should be the world's third or fourth economy, and if we are not lucky, the fifth economy," said Lula in a speech in Rio Grande do Sul, in the Brazilian South.
For this to happen Lula says it will be essential for more poor Brazilians to "become middle class," have more students in universities and more youths training in different trades, but above all Brazil "must improve the quality of its education, curricula and the working of the system."
"What matters in the XXI century is exporting knowledge, intelligence, that's what really makes the difference," he added.
Brazil currently ranks as the world's tenth economy behind G-7 members (US, UK, Japan, Germany, Italy, France and Canada) plus China and Spain. Brazil's GDP, Latin America's largest is estimated in US$ 1.3 trillion.
According to the latest data from the Brazilian government the economy expanded 1.9% in the second quarter of this year compared to the first quarter, thus technically overcoming recession which was installed since last March, following three consecutive negative growth quarters.
Mercopress