Dilma Rousseff Rehearses Speech to Fight Frustration With World Cup

07/10/2014 - 09h24

A day after the Brazilian team´s historic defeat by Germany, president Dilma Rousseff says she shares in the fans´ pain, but she tried to dissipate the ensuing pessimism.

In an interview with CNN at the presidential palace, Dilma said that "reacting to a defeat is the sign of a great nation". This was a line set by the government to counteract the negativity generated by Brazil´s performance.

The president said "not in her worst nightmare" had she imagined a defeat such as Brazil´s last Tuesday. But she added "I know our country has a rather peculiar characteristic: we grow in the face of adversity."

The conversation is part of an strategy planned before Brazil´s 7-1 defeat to Germany at the Mineirão stadium in Belo Horizonte.

Once the Cup had started and with increased popular support for the competition, the president had begun to speak more of the event and to criticize those that predicted its failure.

Now, Dilma and her campaign strategists are trying to evaluate the impact of the on-pitch embarrassment on her electoral campaign. And they are discussing how to react to it.

Part of the exclusive interview given to Christiane Amanpour, CNN´s Chief Correspondent for International Affairs, aired this Wednesday afternoon. The other half which focused on international affairs and politics will air on Thursday at 3pm on CNN International.

"People must understand that, against all odds, the fact is that Brazil organized and hosted a World Cup that I consider one of the best. And that is above all thanks to the Brazilian people´s ability to be hospitable," said Dilma.

The government knows that the Brazilian team´s humiliating defeat will spread a bad mood across the country but considers that it won´t just fall on the president, it will be shared among all politicians.

MARACANÃ

To minimize the negativity, Dilma and her aids showed their support to the Brazilian team after the defeat. "We can´t crucify our players," said a presidential adviser.

In addition, the presidential strategy will be to show that in the eyes of the government the Cup was a success. The logistical failure suggested by the opposition did not materialize. The event won the support of the population and of foreign fans.

The president had already been insisting on this line over the past few weeks when she said that "the pessimists will lose."

Last Monday, backed by her boost in the Datafolha polls (in June her support rose from 34% to 38% ) and after condemning the insults hurled at her at the Itaquerão stadium at the opening of the World Cup, Dilma announced her decision to hand over the Cup at the Maracanã.

According to advisers, the plan still holds, despite the disappointment that has swept across the country after Tuesday´s defeat.

Traducido por NATALIA FABENI

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	Rousseff says she shares in the fans´ pain, but she tried to dissipate the ensuing pessimism