Ever since their military regimes ended, Latin American countries have seen the calles, the streets, of their large cities filling up with people, their populations mobilizing against democratic governments.

People protesting against democratically elected presidents have taken to the streets of each large city on the continent - Lima, La Paz, Quito, Buenos Aires.

In 1992 this happened in Brazil against President Fernando Collor de Mello. The reasons are clear. The military regimes maintain themselves thanks to the force of arms; the civilian regimes, thanks to the credibility of their presidents.

The credibility of the democratic governments rests upon four bases: the image of honesty; the fulfillment of campaign promises; the maintenance of a well-functioning economy; and the implementation of politics that benefit the people, changing the tragic social reality of the countries of our continent.

The people are given an automatic incentive to demonstrate against the government - initially in silence, within their houses; later mobilized, in the streets - whenever their president conveys the image of corruption, does not fulfill campaign promises, takes the country into stagnation or inflation.

Beyond this, in the case of countries like those of Latin America, governments that do not succeed in carrying out reforms to diminish inequality and assure social inclusion are governments condemned to confront street demonstrations.

The people, other words, lose the hope they acquired by means of the ballot box.

It is impossible to anticipate either the moment or the dimensions of these mobilizations. Or even whether they will go to the extreme of those that have occurred in Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, or whether they will remain at the level of the most recent, in Bolivia, where the President gained some time.

Brazil is no different. Our democracy is younger than that of some of those countries. And, in the case of Brazil, the expectations generated in the 2002 campaign are much greater. We are thus obliged to be more responsible and keep our ears more open.

If we cannot hear the shouting that comes from the calles of the large cities of Latin America, we will be condemned to suffer a repeat of what those countries are undergoing.

Brazil needs to remain alert. Not only the President and the government, but all our political leadership, including the opposition. We will commit a crime against the democracy and an injustice against the people if we do not heed the warning coming from abroad.

We need to perceive that the Latin American calles are transforming into the Brazilian streets. It is merely a question of translation. The Brazilian people are still silent in their houses but will soon head for the streets.

The way we, the political leaders, are acting will bring the people into the streets. Through our actions or omissions we are provoking the people.

When this happens, the governments and their civil leaders have only two roads: seeking the support of the armies and abandoning democracy; or jumping the wall of embassies and leaving for exile. Two tragic destinies, which we must avoid at all cost.

The only alternative is fulfilling the campaign promises, carrying out the social reforms, keeping the economy on course, and convincing the people that their politicians are honest.

May President Lula and his advisors keep their ears open to the shouts that come from abroad, from the calles of the large Latin American cities.

Cristovam Buarque has a Ph.D. in economics. He is a PT senator for the Federal District and was Governor of the Federal District (1995-98) and Minister of Education (2003-04). You can visit his homepage - www.cristovam.com.br - and write to him at cristovam@senador.gov-br.

Translated from the Portuguese by Linda Jerome - LinJerome@cs.com.

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