Brazilian President Luiz Lula da Silva announced that he no longer belongs to the "left" and with the passing of time his political positions have moved further to the center.
"I think it is part of the human specie’s evolution: if you’re in the right you move a bit towards the left and whoever belongs to the left gradually becomes a social-democrat", said the former trade union leader turned president and who was one of the founders in 1980 of Brazil’s Workers Party, Latinamerica’ strongest and largest organized left wing organization.
Mr. Lula da Silva made the confession during a party Monday night when he was named as one of the personalities of the year 2006 by Brazilian weekly magazine Isto í‰.
"And there’s no other possible explanation: if a very adult person, old age considers itself belonging to the left, it’s because he has problems", said the president signaling his head and pocket.
"And if a young person is from the right, it’s because he also has many problems", added the president to the applause and cheers of the audience made up of businessmen, bankers and politicians.
President Lula da Silva was re-elected last October 29 and defined his "political evolution", justifying his close relationship and political alliance, following decades of confrontation, with Delfim Netto who was Brazil’s Finance minister from 1968 to 1974, under the military dictatorship.
The former metal worker who became a union leader and politician in the late seventies organizing strikes and work stoppages against the military dictatorship revealed that at the age of 61 he has managed to achieve "the right balance, the mid path which is through where society and any community must advance".
"Things tend to flow in line with the advance of grey hair and responsibility", argued the Brazilian leader.
Mercopress