The inauguration of the new President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, is a signal of the consolidation of the political democracy in South America, in the evaluation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who participated in the inauguration ceremony last Saturday, March 11, in Valparaiso.
"Political democracy has stronger roots today because institutions of all countries are working well. Social democracy will still depend on what we do to satisfy the great social needs in Latin America, in all of South America," said Lula this Monday, March 13, in his weekly radio program "Breakfast with the President."
Lula recalled Bachelet’s personal history, her persecution and the killing of her father during Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. In the President’s opinion, Bachelet is not resentful; instead, she has demonstrated through her political life, as Minister of Defense, and Health, that she is tolerant in trying to build the future.
The President emphasized that his participation on Bachelet’s inauguration was also a way of thanking the Chilean people for having received Brazilian political refugees during the country’s dictatorship. "We also received many Chilean citizens in Brazil during Pinochet’s time."
Michelle Bachelet is the first woman elected President of Chile, and the 11th in the world. She is socialist, of the Concertación Party, and won the second round of the Presidential election on the 15th of January, against the businessman Sebastian Piñera, of the center-right coalition "Alianza por Chile."
Guatemala
President Lula had a meeting this Monday, Monday 13, with the President of Guatemala, Oscar Berger, in the Palace of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Itamaraty, in Brasília.
During the working meeting, they discussed the possible transferring to Guatemala of Brazilian technology on the use of biofuel in the transportation sector and for energy production. The agenda also included proposals for the eradication of hunger and poverty in Latin America.
Representatives of both countries signed cooperation agreements in the defense area. President Lula hosted a lunch in the honor of President Oscar Berger.
Agência Brasil
