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A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 23 November 2019
With da Silva out of prison, Workers' Party seeks strategy

By MAURICIO SAVARESE He was accompanied by
DIANE JEANTET former presidential candi-
Associated Press date Fernando Haddad
SAO PAULO (AP) — As Bra- and federal lawmaker Mar-
zil's largest leftist party gath- celo Freixo of the left-wing
ers to plan the future, a fig- Socialism and Liberty Party.
ure that has dominated its But many also wonder how
past looms ever larger. much control the former
Former President Luiz Ina- leader is willing to let go.
cio Lula da Silva is the un- Da Silva is hoping that the
questioned star of the party Supreme Court will deliver
conference starting Friday a ruling that could cancel
in Sao Paulo, and many still the cases in which he is ac-
think he could be the par- cused of corruption and
ty's standard-bearer once money laundering — and
again in 2022 — when he'll such a ruling would legally
be a 77-year-old cancer open the path to another
survivor who is now barred presidential run.
from seeking office due to Brazilian political analyst
a corruption conviction. Carlos Melos said the Work-
Da Silva, who governed ers' Party has failed to pre-
Brazil between 2003 and pare a successor.
2010 is fresh out of jail af- "There is this structural prob-
ter 19 months behind bars Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks to supporters during a rally at the Metal lem in the (Workers' Party),
— at least pending a court Workers Union headquarters, in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. which has not consolidat-
ruling on appeals of a con- Associated Press ed new leaderships in a
viction that followers are enjoyed on leaving office The Workers' Party remains sibly building a broader dimension close to that of
convinced was unfair, and in 2010 have slipped to the biggest party in the democratic front against Lula."
pending possible convic- about 40% today — even lower house, with 54 seats. Bolsonaro. Both Rousseff and Haddad
tions on other charges. so, better than that of the But even under da Silva, He noted that da Silva has lacked the charismatic
Most analysts see him more current president. it required alliances with shown the ability to attract spark that helped da Silva
as a potential king-maker Still, many on the left still smaller parties to govern a broad range of voters electrify audiences.
and strategist for a party he see him as the only politi- — parties that eventually and political allies alike, Brazil, like much of Latin
was instrumental in trans- cian who can today orga- proved unreliable allies. and said, "Once again, this America, has struggled to
forming. The former union nize the opposition to far- Da Silva's Workers' Party suc- will be his mission." shake off a certain cult of
leader took a party long right President Jair Bolson- cessor, Dilma Rousseff was During his two mandates, personality. "Unfortunately,
seen as a radical fringe aro, who last year ended impeached in 2016 when da Silva managed to im- right or left, personalities
and brought it to power the Workers' Party string former coalition members plement a program heav- have a greater appeal
in 2003, winning adulation of victory in four consecu- turned against her. And the ily focused on fighting ex- than institutions," Melos
from millions for presiding tive elections — and who Workers' Party candidate in treme poverty, without rad- said.
over more than a decade topped a less-charismatic the last election, Fernando icalizing his administration Whether the former leader
of prosperity and reduc- candidate chosen by da Haddad, lost with less than or alienating the business runs or not, all agree that
ing poverty with policies Silva. 45 percent of the vote. sector, Kerche said. he will act as the left's great
that were far more business The left came out weak- Political analyst Fábio Following his release from strategist, the brain of the
friendly than many foes ened from the last election, Kerche, at the Federal Uni- prison earlier this month, da campaign.
had feared. and President Bolsonaro, a versity of Rio de Janeiro Silva gathered thousands "Any candidate on the left
That record was increas- former army captain who state, said da Silva has al- of supporters outside the will have to reach out to
ingly stained by corruption much like U.S. President ready sent signals that he Sao Paulo union that he the center, or he won't win,"
scandals that finally snared Donald Trump has broken would try to reach beyond once led and that later Melo said. "And any candi-
da Silva himself, and the free from conventional the party core, to the cen- served as the base for his date on the left, will have
80% approval ratings he ways of governing. ter and center right, pos- political career. to pass by (da Silva)."q
Mexican Congress approves budget after protests

Associated Press The farm groups often build also criticized Morena for
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- autocratic fiefdoms in the cutting funds for regulatory
ico’s lower house of Con- Mexican countryside, forc- and watchdog agencies
gress approved the 2020 ing members to participate the president has tangled
federal budget Friday in in protests in order to re- with. Opponents said those
an all-night meeting at a ceive benefits. cuts will make it hard to
convention center after Lopez Obrador’s Morena hold free, fair and reliable
protests and blockades by party instead focused on elections.
farm groups surrounding direct transfers and farm Rep. Fernando Galindo
the Congress building. subsidies to prevent such of the former ruling Institu-
The protests were sparked groups from skimming aid tional Revolutionary Party
by President Andres Man- money for themselves. said the budget will cut
uel Lopez Obrador’s policy Many of the farm groups about $77 million from the
of giving money directly also functioned as political attorney general’s office at
In this Aug. 19, 2016 file photo, lettuce farmer Edgar Serralde to farmers and poor fami- allies of the old ruling party, a time when crime is ram-
sets out lunch for his workers and their son, in Mexico City's lies rather than distributing which Morena displaced in pant, and about $55 million
borough Xochimilco. funds through groups that 2018 elections. from the federal election
Associated Press claim to represent them. But opposition legislators agency. q