Cuiabá, 29 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, in a speech on Wednesday (27), at the inauguration of the Sérgio Motta bridge, declared that even people who do not agree with him should realize that at the moment the country is united in its purpose. "Whether they want to or not, whether they know it or not, we are living in a democracy which enables us to organize our feelings, organize our purposes, unite forces and make this a better country for our children," said the president.

Cardoso announced that the Family Health program is assisting 50 million Brazilians who live in the poorest regions of the country, calling it proof that government social programs are succeeding. Cardoso also said that within 10 to 15 years there would not be any illiteracy in Brazil because of the attention the government is giving to elementary education with the result that today 97% of all children between the ages of 7 and 14 are in school. (AB)