Recife, 1/13/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, speaking to his cabinet during a visit to Brazil's poor regions, called on members of the government to coordinate efforts so that something can effectively be done about the misery and hunger that thousands of Brazilians suffer.

According to the minister of Social Assistance and Promotion, Benedita da Silva, the Lula caravan to Brazil's poor regions saw a lot of misery and povery, but they also saw that the needy have hope in the new president. "We will do all we can. We have no illusions about resolving this problem in four years, but we are going to try. We will do everything that is possible," she said. (AB)