Several former European heads of state or government, both from the left and from the right, declared on Friday their support for Lula’s candidacy for the presidency of Brazil.
“The result of the Brazilian presidential election will have a decisive impact that will go far beyond its borders. When democracy is in danger, all Democrats must unite to defeat the far right. That is why we, former heads of state and government of different political orientations, support the candidacy of former President Lula,” said a statement signed by former French President François Hollande.
“The world needs a democratic and fair Brazil. Only a statesman like Lula can overcome this challenge”, she adds.
In addition to former Socialist President François Hollande, French right-wing former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin joined the text. The other signatories are José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, former head of the Spanish government, Massimo d’Alema and Enrico Letta, former heads of government of Italy, Micheline Calmy Rey, former president of the Swiss Confederation, and Elio di Rupo, former prime minister of Belgium.
Brazil opens electoral campaign with Lula ahead in the polls
Brazil is going to live decisive hours on Sunday in the first round of an extremely polarized presidential election, with the clash between the left-wing favorite Lula and the outgoing far-right Jair Bolsonaro.
President between 2003 and 2011, Lula “was a faithful and constructive partner for two terms,” he declared. “Latin America needs stability and confidence in politics, and Lula will be a valuable actor in a region that has elected new presidents, in Chile and Colombia, and that aspires to have both political and commercial relations with Europe,” he added, referring to the victories of left-wing candidates in those two countries.
In addition, “regarding the climate commitment, Bolsonaro proved to be disastrous when it comes to making decisions for the Amazon, while Lula has made commitments and will be useful in the great international negotiations,” Hollande stressed.
