Lula Defends Presidential Election in 2017 and Says: 'We'll Be Back'

01/12/2017 - 12h44

Former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) on Wednesday (the 11th), defended bringing forward the 2018 elections to October of 2017 and declared that the Party "shouldn't be ashamed" to say that it wants a new presidential process.

Lula participated in the 29th State Encounter of the MST (Movement of Rural Workers Without Land) in Bahia, part of the PT's strategy for re-establishing solidarity with the social movements connected to the party.

In a speech, he declared that "if necessary", he would run for president again. He said that he is "asking God" for other people to come forward as candidates. "God would like for other companions to come forward, we have a year and a half in front of us. Now, during this year, I'm going to travel throughout the country. First, to restore the image of my party. Second, to restore my own", he said.

Even so, he worked up the audience composed of two thousand farmers and MST leaders, wearing baseball caps with the phrase "I'm with Lula" and who interrupted the former president's speech with shouts of "Out with Temer".

	Edson Ruiz/Coofiav/Folhapress
	Lula participated in the 29th State Encounter of the Movement of Rural Workers Without Land in Bahia.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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