Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Fast Facts
There are so many things to count from Lula da Silva! Here are some of the fastest facts about the man behind the myth of “Brazil’s first”. A young guy who is already living proof that power doesn’t last forever.
Lula da Silva is the current Brazilian president of the Republic of Brazil. He was elected to the Presidency during the 2008 Brazilian presidential election. In his first 100 days in office, Lula da Silva pushed his agenda into the street. He was very busy and very aggressive since the beginning.
He was the first president in Brazilian history (the second in Latin America) who was not elected by political parties. He also was the first non-elected president not to have to face a recall attempt. Lula da Silva was also the first president to have an international press conference (with journalists) the day he was sworn in.
Lula da Silva was born on November 3, 1954. He is the son of Joao Goulart (father) and Nelida Lula da Silva (mother). He was a teacher for over 30 years. Later he got a law degree from the University of São Paulo.
A political hero
Lula da Silva was the only candidate to be the most promising presidential candidate in Brazil. He won a plurality throughout the elections in Brazilian history in 2003. In that year he was supported by five opposition parties and two center-right parties. So from that day on Lula da Silva moved from the opposition to the middle.
Lula da Silva was also the first president to receive money from billionaires during his campaign. His opponent from the right, the ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso received support from the wealthy businessman and car manufacturer Carlos Cardoso de Oliveira.
Lula da Silva, however, was elected by a very strong majority (73%). During his campaign, he received a lot of criticism because of his lack of experience in the area.
In his first 100 days, Lula da Silva made a major statement since the beginning: he was going to take over the government of Brazil. This was a clear violation of the electoral system in Brazil (there is only one president in a time).
The media
