Chomsky: Lula Should Be The Rightful Candidate in Brazil

Renowned U.S. intellectual Noam Chomsky said, on Friday, that former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva should be the presidential candidate by right in Brazil.

RELATED:
Brazil: Who is Fernando Haddad, New PT Presidential Candidate?

"There are several concerns, we are all thinking about the problems in democracy in Brazil, overwhelming problems. I can not fail to notice the absence of the person (Lula) who would be our rightful candidate in Brazil," Chomsky sais from Sao Paulo.

On Friday, the Perseu Abramo Foundation in Sao Paulo held an international seminar where several world leaders and intellectuals debated the global "threats to democracy and the Multipolar Order." 

International figures, such as former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Rodriguez Zapatero, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and former Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, were present in the seminar. The seminar was an initiative of Brazil's ex-foreign minister under the Lula government, Celso Amorim.

Chomsky recalled that 20 years ago he had the privilege of meeting Lula and was very impressed with him, "and I have kept that impression over the years."

The political analyst remarked that Brazil "became the most respectable country in the world under the leadership of President Lula and Celso Amorim." Chomsky urges the Workers Party (PT) militants to not underestimate the obstacles in the way, but also adding that "we can not minimize the ability of the human spirit to overcome and prevail."

During his address at the seminar, Zapatero predicted a "generous" victory of Lula successor, presidential candidate for the PT Fernando Haddad. "I know that you will win the elections, that Fernando Haddad will win the elections and that, besides everything, he will be a generous victory."

Zapatero also paraphrased Lula, adding that there are a lot of Lulas, and now "we have to prove it. All the 'Lulistas' (Lula supporters), all the progressive Brazil, have to prove that you don't admit that democracy belongs to the most powerful."

Villepin, during his presentation, remarked: "In this context, we need Brazil very much as the great democratic actor and defender of multilateralism, which has always been."

In early September, Lula conferred his presidential candidacy to Haddad. Haddad served as minister of education under both Lula and Dilma Rousseff, from 2005 to 2012.

In 2012, Haddad was elected mayor of Sao Paulo.