RT’s Oksana Boyko caught up with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the former leader of Brazil – who usually goes simply by Lula – to discuss his potential return in 2022 and what place he wants for his country on the global stage.
He said he wished for more equality in the future, and for strong countries like the US not to meddle in other nations’ affairs.
“This idea of the Americans to be a beacon for the world and not let anyone else compete economically is wrong. Americans must know that we do not want a sheriff or a tutor, we want a partner. We want brothers and sisters,” Lula said.
We want all countries to be fraternal, to develop partnerships. Brazil has to be a sovereign country as well as Russia, China, and the US.
Lula led Brazil between 2003 and 2010 and was part of the so-called ‘pink tide’ in Latin America. The continent, which Washington traditionally considers to be its backyard, went through a resurgence of left-wing forces at the time. Lula prides his government on massive reforms to eradicate poverty and otherwise lift up the have-nots, but also on strengthening Brazil’s ties with other nations of the world.
“We proved that Brazil could have sovereignty and international protagonism, and that this could be reached without having to ask the US. We do not need to ask permission from the US to be the owners of our own backyard,” he said. “The problem is that Brazil has a ruling class, an elite, that is subservient. They cannot do anything without asking permission from the US.”
He described how in 2002, before his inauguration, he was invited to the White House by US President George W. Bush, who was whipping up international support for the planned NATO-led invasion of Iraq.
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