“The right tries to stage a coup every 24 hours in this country.”
“There are political adversaries who are saying that Lula should not be involved in the campaign because he is president and should remain on the sidelines as a magistrate, but when they wanted to overthrow me I wasn’t seen as a magistrate,” said the Brazilian president during a political rally campaigning next to candidate Ms Rousseff in the city of Porto Alegre.
Lula claimed that the extreme right tried to destabilize his government and said it was the “same elite” that forced former president Getúlio Vargas “to shoot himself in the heart” (1954) and who also “forced the resignation of João Goulart (1964)”.
The president who at the end of his two four year terms enjoys an 80% public opinion support reiterated he would continue to extend all his backing to Ms Rousseff that currently has a 36% vote intention, according to the latest Folha de Sao Paulo polls released earlier this week.
The president’s former Energy minister and former cabinet chief is tied with the main opposition candidate José Serra from the Brazilian Social Democracy party.
“I’ve told that elite that I won’t stay at my office reading newspapers about Dilma’s campaign, on the contrary I will be out in the streets with the Brazilian people, who is going to decide the future of this country,” underlined Lula during his 30 minute speech at the Gigantinho stadium packed with 25.000 militants.
Women know how “to generate, give birth and manage” and the time has come that they can also rule Brazil, insisted the popular leader.
“Dilma has the support of all the trade union federations, from the National Students Union and all social movements and keeps building support,” insisted Lula.
However the fact remains that the two main hopefuls, and just over two months from 3 October election remain tied and Dilma seems to take off whenever Lula appears in rallies to support her.
Rousseff’s strategy is to be seen as the natural successor of Lula “dressed as a woman” as the president himself has said on more than an occasion.
Lula and Rousseff have been fined several times, US$ 5.000 on each occasion, for having the Brazilian president openly involved in the campaign.
Under Brazilian electoral legislation theoretically the president can only campaign on “his free time” (after office hours) and the candidate can’t be present at the inauguration of federal public works.
This is the first time in recent history of such a tight presidential race. If none of the candidates manages 50% plus one of ballots, a run-off is scheduled for October 31.