Lula takes office for third term as Brazil president

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Written by northsouth

Category: Americas

Published: 02 January 2023

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BRASILIA - Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office Sunday for a third term as Brazil's president, vowing to fight for the poor and the environment and "rebuild the country" after far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro's divisive administration.

The 77-year-old veteran leftist, who previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010, took the oath of office before Congress, capping a remarkable political comeback for the metalworker-turned-president less than five years after he was jailed on controversial, since quashed corruption charges.

Giving a blistering overview of the past four years under Bolsonaro -- who snubbed the ceremony, in a break with tradition - Lula said his government would work to undo a legacy of economic decline, funding cuts in health, education and science, and the "stupidity" of plundering the nation's resources for private gain.

"Upon these terrible ruins, I pledge to rebuild the country together with the Brazilian people," he said, vowing to fight to improve life for poor Brazilians, work toward racial and gender equality, and achieve zero deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, where destruction surged under Bolsonaro.

"The mandate we received, in the face of opponents inspired by fascism, will be defended through our democratic constitution. We will respond to hate with love, to lies with the truth, to terrorism and violence with the law."

Wearing a blue suit and tie, the charismatic but controversial Lula arrived for the ceremony in a black convertible Rolls-Royce, accompanied by First Lady Rosangela "Janja" da Silva and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.

The swearing-in began with a minute of silence for Brazilian football legend Pele and former pope Benedict XVI, who both died in recent days.

Tens of thousands of red-clad supporters cheered loudly as their motorcade slowly rolled down Brasilia's Esplanade of Ministries, escorted by dozens of bodyguards.

Security was exceptionally tight for the ceremony, with some 8,000 police deployed, after a Bolsonaro supporter was arrested last week for planting a tanker truck rigged with explosives near the capital's airport, a plot he said aimed to "sow chaos" in the South American country.

Police said they arrested another man Sunday who tried to enter the secured inaugural ceremony area carrying a knife and fireworks.

'Historic day'

It is the first time since the end of Brazil's 1965-1985 military dictatorship that an incoming leader has not received the yellow-and-green presidential sash from his predecessor.

Bolsonaro left Brazil for the US state of Florida Friday.

The snub hardly dampened the party spirit for Lula and the throngs of people who turned out for the New Year's Day ceremony and a massive celebration concert featuring acts ranging from samba legend Martinho da Vila to drag queen Pabllo Vittar.

A flood of Lula supporters from around the country formed massive lines to filter through the security cordon, belting out pro-Lula chants.

"I'm excited beyond measure," retired teacher Zenia Maria Soares Pinto, 71, told AFP after traveling 30 hours by bus from the southern state of Santa Catarina.

"I have so much admiration for his humility, his commitment to ensuring the people live in dignity," added Pinto, part of a crowd cheering for Lula outside the hotel where the new president spent the night.

Machine operator Valter Gildo, 46, called it a "historic day."

"Today marks the return of a working man to the presidential palace, someone who fights for social causes, for minorities, against racism and homophobia, a person who represents Brazil," he said.

Foreign dignitaries including 19 heads of state were in attendance as Lula, who previously led Brazil through a watershed boom, took the oath of office for a new four-year term.

They included the presidents of a raft of Latin American countries, Germany, Portugal and the king of Spain.

After being sworn in before Congress, Lula will go to the ultra-modern capital's presidential palace, the Planalto.

There, he will walk up a ramp to the entrance and receive the gold- and diamond-embroidered presidential sash.

Pressing to-do list

Lula faces numerous urgent challenges in the Latin American giant, which looks little like the commodities-fuelled dynamo he led in the 2000s.

They include rebooting economic growth, curbing rampant destruction of the Amazon rainforest and delivering on his ambitious agenda to fight poverty and inequality.

Markets are meanwhile watching nervously how Lula will fund his promised social spending, given Brazil's overstretched government finances.

Lula will face a Congress dominated by Bolsonaro's conservative allies.

In a sign of how polarized the country remains, far-right hardliners have been protesting outside army bases ever since Lula's narrow runoff win on October 30, calling for a military intervention to keep him from taking power.

Brazil greatest footballer Pele dies aged 82

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Written by northsouth

Category: Americas

Published: 29 December 2022

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SAO PAULO, Brazil - Brazil great Pele has died at the age of 82.

The three-time World Cup winner had been in hospital in Sao Paulo since late November.

Pele’s daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram: “We are thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”

Nascimento, who had posted before Christmas that members of Pele’s family would spend the holiday period in the hospital with him, added three heartbroken emojis.

Pele burst on to the global scene as a 17-year-old at the 1958 World Cup, helping Brazil to the first of their record five successes in the competition.

Injury affected his contribution to the finals in 1962, when Brazil retained their title, and 1966, but he returned to lead his country to glory for a third time in Mexico in 1970, as part of what is widely regarded as the greatest line-up of all time.

He has endured a number of health issues in recent years, and in September 2021 underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his colon.

This year, he was admitted to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo on November 29 with a respiratory infection and remained there until his death.

Pele was a prodigious scorer of goals, and is credited with 1,281 of them across the length of his career by the official FIFA website.

There was so much more to his game though, and his outrageous talent and willingness to try – and often pull off – the seemingly impossible have prompted many observers to describe him as the greatest player of all time.

Others can also justifiably stake a claim for that title – not least Diego Maradona and his fellow Argentinian Lionel Messi – but it is inconceivable not to mention Pele in any shortlist.

He was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. His father, Dondinho, was a professional footballer.

He first had trials at Santos in June 1956, and his scoring exploits for the club in the Sao Paulo state championship propelled him into the Brazil squad for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

Alongside other stars like Garrincha, Mario Zagallo and Didi, Brazil laid to rest the disappointment of losing the 1950 World Cup final on home soil to Uruguay, and became the first team to win the tournament outside their home continent.

He quickly became a superstar in his home country of what was at the time a forward-looking nation, and became hugely marketable.

Injury curtailed his involvement in the 1962 World Cup as Brazil retained the trophy in Chile, and the player was criticised for not speaking out against the military coup in Brazil two years later.

Brazil lost their grip on the World Cup in England in 1966. Pele was exposed to some brutal treatment from defenders, in particular those of Portugal, as the South Americans failed to get out of their group.

Incredibly there was debate in Brazil leading into the 1970 finals about whether Pele, still only 29, should even be in the squad. He answered his critics in spectacular style as Brazil regained the trophy in Mexico.

He headed Brazil in front in the final against Italy and his languid pass into the path of Carlos Alberto completed a sublime team move for the final goal in a 4-1 win.

He never played for a European club but spent time in the United States with New York Cosmos before his retirement in 1977.

US-African leaders summit underway as Biden welcomes 49 leaders

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Written by northsouth

Category: Americas

Published: 14 December 2022

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WASHINGTON - African leaders will meet with US President Joe Biden on Wednesday as the White House tries to draw the continent away from China and Russia – which have gained increasing footing in the region.

With heads of state and representatives from 49 countries, the three-day Africa Leaders' Summit kicked off Tuesday and will include the president's participation Wednesday.

Topping U.S. commitments, Biden will pledge $55 billion in financial aid, according to the White House. "By the end of this, what you will see is a genuine energy and a spirit of cooperation that will reflect the fact that the United States has unique assets and capabilities to bring to bear," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the U.S. will announce several other "specific deliverables" during the summit. Biden has appointed Johnnie Carson, former U.S. ambassador to Kenya, to oversee actions announced at the summit.

Sullivan said the summit is rooted in the recognition that Africa is a key geopolitical player.

The Biden administration hopes to reassert sway in Africa after China has surpassed the U.S. in foreign investment in the continent and several African nations have been reluctant to follow the U.S.'s lead to condemn Russia's war in Ukraine.

Biden is expected to announce U.S. support for the African Union – which consists of 55 nations – to join the group of G-20 nations as a permanent member.

Why the summit is significant

Throughout his tenure, Biden has tried to repair relations with many world leaders following former President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy agenda.

Trump in 2018 reportedly referred to countries in Africa, as well as Haiti and countries in Central America, as “s***hole countries,” when discussing immigration with lawmakers. The comments received swift backlash from African leaders at the time.

Sullivan said the summit is rooted in the recognition that Africa is a key geopolitical player.

“The continent will shape the future not just of the African people but also the world,” Sullivan added.

The agenda

- Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off things Tuesday with a speech at the Africa and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum, where she announced a $100 million expansion of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and re-launched the African Women Entrepreneurship Program to provide micro-financing to women.

- With a focus on trade and investment, Biden will host executives from more than 300 African and U.S. companies Wednesday for a forum.

- Biden will host a small group of African leaders later Wednesday for a discussion on 2023 elections in Africa and "U.S. support for free, fair, and credible polls across the continent," Sullivan said.

- The evening will be capped by a dinner at the White House with Biden, first lady Jill Biden and all 49 heads of delegation at the summit.

- The only members of the African union not invited to the forum are Guinea, Sudan, Mali and Burkina Faso, because coups in those country's led to unconstitutional transfers of power, and the East African nation of Eritrea.

- There will be a "broad based commitment to travel to (Africa) in 2023 as it relates to the President, as it relates to the vice president, as it relates to cabinet secretaries," White House press secretary Karine Jean-PIerre said Tuesday.