Lula na Esquire

Everton Maciel, de Pelotas

A Revista Esquire destacou o presidente do Brasil, Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, em seu site. Sinceramente, não sei se a nota circulou na edição impressa da revista semanal. A informação é bastante ampla e curta. Digo isso porque trata de tudo. Fala das relações do Brasil com a Venezuela, lembra que temos mais petróleo que dignidade e suspira sobre a popularidade do presidente. O programa Bolsa Família e a futura eleição de 2010 também fazem parte da pauta.

Acompanhe:

You'd think the United States would be trying harder to embrace Brazil. The world's fifth-largest country has oil--maybe eight billion barrels in a deep-water field discovered last year. It has lots of sugar and lots of sugar-based ethanol (on which we now place a prohibitively heavy tariff, though it is more viable than making ethanol from corn). And it has Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva--or Lula, as he is affectionately known--a soon-to-be-ex-president who, at a relatively youthful 62, is preparing for a portentous postpresidential career. He was swept into office six years ago in a landslide of populism, stoking concerns that he might take his mandate and go the way of Hugo Chávez. Instead, Lula has ruled with pragmatism and a shrewd eye toward building relationships with both the U. S. and emerging economies. His largest social accomplishment in office, Bolsa Família--a welfare initiative credited with successes ranging from raising employment to promoting vaccinations--looks to become the focus of his postpresidential career starting in 2011. All indications are that he will use his enduring power and popularity--which remained undimmed by a few scandals involving kickbacks and the like, earning him the nickname the Teflon president--to help guide Brazil toward becoming a major economic power. He is a charismatic, resilient, up-from-poverty leader who reminds us of someone very familiar: Bill Clinton.