l
to extraordinary strength of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, where does it come from? From his northeastern origin, from having been born in the poorest region of Brazil? Having been raised by Mrs. Lindu along with all his siblings?
Having gone south, to Pau de Arara, traveling 13 days, to São Paulo, where I would be a shoe shiner, among many other professions that young people from the Northeast had in the south of the country.
From becoming a union leader, founding the Single Central of Workers (CUT), founding the Workers’ Party (PT), to becoming the main Brazilian political leader against the dictatorship and for the construction of democracy.
Of having become the main Brazilian political leader. Having projected himself as a great Latin American and global union leader.
Lula da Silva’s strength, however, does not come only from that, however much it may be. It comes from the beliefs and values that guide your behavior. Lula appears as an advisor, as a reference, as a guide, as someone who serves everyone, someone who provides guarantees, security, as hope.
For those who don’t know him, it is difficult to understand how the now president went through such difficult times and knew how to overcome them. Recently returned from caravans throughout Brazil, already in the south of the country, he ordered his arrest.
Gathered in the ABC Metallurgical Union, his political birthplace, aware of the falsehood of the accusations leveled against him, against the opinion of that immense crowd that accompanied him, Lula da Silva decided to appear before the police and demonstrate his truth.
He had to face opposition from almost the entire group of people, who even tried to prevent him from leaving the union. Until, painfully for all of us, he left the union and turned himself in to the police.
Many of us feared that he would not come out again, that he would not be able to regain his freedom, because we knew the hatred that the right had for him and the desire they had to prevent him from being free again and continuing to be the greatest fighter for democracy and the improvement of the living conditions of the population.
Then we began to visit him, at the Federal Police, in Curitiba, capital of the state of Paraná, in the south of the country, where the only contact we had with him for 580 days was to tell him: Good morning, Comrade Lula! Good afternoon, Comrade Lula! Good evening, Comrade Lula!
to which he would respond by flashing the lights in his room.
I was able to visit him, with the excitement of meeting him and the sadness of leaving him in the hands of the police when I had to leave. Contrasting with his joy and vigor, to encourage us to continue the fight.
Whoever lives with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in different conditions, feels the strength, the convictions he transmits, of a person whose life reflects his values and whose values reflect his life.
