• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > France

Brazil's Lula Receives Honorary Citizenship of Paris

  • The ceremony was also attended by former President Dilma Rousseff and former presidential candidate Fernando Haddad. 

    The ceremony was also attended by former President Dilma Rousseff and former presidential candidate Fernando Haddad.  | Photo: EFE

Published 2 March 2020
Opinion

Brazil has turned its back on democracy since the election of Jair Bolsonaro, the mayor of Paris said at the ceremony.

Brazil's former President Luiz Ignacio Lula Da Silva received Monday Paris’ Honorary Citizenship for his commitment to the fight against economic and social inequalities in his country.

RELATED: 

Brazil: Bolsonaro's Businessmen Behind Actions Against Congress

In a ceremony at the City Hall of Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo awarded the honorary status to the founder of the Worker’s Party (PT), who served around 20 months in prison, after a  judicial maneuver to neutralize the possibility of his return to power was launched against him by his political opponents. 

Brazil has turned its back on democracy since the election of Jair Bolsonaro, Hidalgo said at the ceremony, which was also attended by former President Dilma Rousseff and former presidential candidate Fernando Haddad. 

“Immense joy to give the Honorary Citizen title to Lula. Paris will always stand beside those whose rights are not respected,” Hidalgo said on Twitter.

Paris decided in October to honor Lula for his fight against inequality, which allowed some 30 million Brazilians to rise above the line of extreme poverty and access rights and basic services.

The move also came in a likely blow to far-right President Jair Bolsonaro whose relationship with France has deteriorated since last year.

French President Emmanuel Macron had accused Bolsonaro of lying to world leaders about Brazil’s commitment to preserving the environment when forest fires erupted in the Amazon.

Bolsonaro at one point insulted Macron’s wife and said he would only accept US$20 million in aid offered by the G7 group of wealthy nations if Macron withdrew his “insults.”

The title of Citizen of Honor of Paris is granted to individuals considered to be especially "admirable" or "worthy" of the distinction. The list of winners includes Mumia Abu-Jamal and Nelson Mandela among others.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.