São Paulo, March 29, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva turned over 305 new vehicles to the Federal Highway Police, today, in the GM plant in São Caetano do Sul, in the state of São Paulo.

In his speech the President stressed the evolution of the automotive market and observed that the fact that consumers in Brazil nowadays can choose the type of fuel they want for their cars attests to the government's long efforts. "We returned to the belief that the solution to problems lies inside Brazil, not outside, and the understanding that the country could not cease producing cars driven by renewable, less polluting energy, as is the case of alcohol," the President said.

According to Lula, Brazil will achieve economic growth and, therefore, be able to fight the high unemployment rates. "Once again we shall break records with our exports, and our economy will grow this year," he added.

For President Lula, despite the difficulties, it has been a long time since Brazil has witnessed the atmosphere of optimism that can be perceived nowadays. This optimism, he argued, exists because "there is more money to invest than there was last year, and interest rates, if they aren't ideal, are a lot cheaper than they have been in the past ten years." With each passing day, according to him, the international credibility of the country grows, and economic growth "will generate, if not all, some of the jobs we so deeply desire."

The President attributed to political opponents reports that internal crises are occurring in the federal government. According to the President, this represents nothing more than a tactic to neutralize Workers Party candidates in this year's municipal elections.

According to the President, the fact that political differences exist is a far cry from unleashing a crisis.

Translator: David Silberstein