Brasília, December 29, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inãcio Lula da Silva said today that he is more optimistic than at any other moment of his life with the results of his first year in office. During the "Breakfast with the President" program, broadcast by Radiobrás, Lula justified his confidence in the future by affirming that "all signs indicate that the economy is recovering, interest rates are falling, the State's investment capacity will grow, and the entire government already has much more experience, because we suffered a lot in this first 12 months."
When he recalled that the country's situation was extremely delicate at the end of last year, and "that what happened is we took office and decided to fix Brazil," the President compared the government's actions to those of a mother who takes her child to be vaccinated and, despite the child's tears, gets the vaccination done because she knows she is assuring the child's future.
"What we did was this: It was a kind of vaccine to guarantee a better future for the Brazilian people. So, we took tough measures in order to give the Brazilian people the certainty that we can place Brazil where it deserves to be, enable the people to improve their living conditions, and so that the economy resumes growth. We will generate the jobs that are necessary, and will will carry out a policy of income distribution. After all, that is why the people elected me," he said.
Lula reiterated his confidence in the population. "Even when people are unemployed, even when they have no money or can't buy what they want, they believe that tomorrow will be better. And we represent this hope." He disclosed that he has been very moved in his trips throughout the country when people have hugged him and said: "Hi, Lula, I know things are tough, but I believe that next year there will be a job for me, next year I will live a little better."
And his sent his wishes for next year. "Therefore, from the bottom of my heart, together with Marisa, I desire a very good New Year for the people, for people to go to sleep on the 31st in the knowledge that Brazil will be better, beginning January 1. I desire this for my children, but for other people's children as well. I want this for myself, but I also want it for others. I once learned that one either shares happiness or loses it, because it is not possible to be happy alone."
Lula ended the program with a message: "May God bless every women, every man, every child; may God grant us the force to gain what we so strongly yearn, which is to improve our lives. So, a happy 2004 for all the Brazilian people." (DAS)
