Rodrigo Savazoni
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - In his first open-ended collective press interview since taking office two years and four months ago, President Lula responded today to 14 questions from journalists representing various media. He affirmed that the press is "a good medicine for the consolidation of democracy." Lula recalled the importance of the media in monitoring government authorities at the federal, state, and municipal levels, and he said that he counts on journalists to inform him of the mistakes committed by his Administration.

"Without the press, democracy doesn't exist," Lula said, prior to referring to the years of military rule when the press in Brazil was submitted to advance censorship.

Translation: David Silberstein