Lula in Spain with Sánchez? “Democracy against fascism”

O national president of the Workers' Party (PT), Edinho Silva, said today that the presence of the Brazilian President, Lula da Silva, in Spain, where he will meet on Monday with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, represents a sign of defense of democracy against the extreme right and fascism.

“ His own presence is the presence of democracy against the forces of ultra-right and fascism. His presence in itself already represents this ", said Edinho Silva, in a press conference, when asked by Lusa about the political significance of Lula's movement to Madrid.

The PT leader, Lula da Silva's party, considered that the Brazilian head of state became one of the main international references of the democratic and progressive field, after the victory in the Brazilian presidential elections.

“ There is no leadership of the democratic world greater than President Lula, this with all respect to the other leaders ", declared.

Edinho Silva argued that the re-election of the Brazilian President had an impact that goes beyond the borders of the country and represents a sign of resistance of progressive forces in an international context of successive left-wing electoral defeats.

“ If we look at the last elections, the democratic forces are defeated. And here we face, I repeat, the economic power, the Big Techs, the interferences of [Donald] Trump and we managed to build a victory”, he said.

The PT president also highlighted the international dimension that Lula’s campaign acquired, referring that the gesture of forming the letter “L” with the fingers, associated with the Brazilian politician, began to be used in demonstrations against fascism in Europe.

“The whole of Europe, when it wants to express itself against fascism, does President Lula’s ‘L’”, he said.

Asked by Lusa about the possibility of Lula participating in some political initiative with Sánchez, Edinho Silva said he did not know the details of the agenda, which he classified as an organized commitment at the last hour.

The leader considered, however, the invitation of the Spanish Prime Minister, arguing that Lula should be increasingly sought by international leaders, including in Europe, due to the Brazilian election result.

“ I think that today it will be very, very requested, very invited, to be present in many countries of the world ", he said.

Lula da Silva will arrive in Madrid on Sunday and meet with Pedro Sánchez on Monday, before returning to Brazil, according to information previously advanced to Lusa by official sources of the Palácio do Planalto.

The movement takes place about two weeks from the early general elections in Spain, scheduled for November 29, in which Sánchez seeks to defeat the right-wing forces.

The Spanish Prime Minister said, the day after Lula's victory, that he is inspired by the Brazilian campaign to compete in the Spanish elections, declaring: “Let’s do what Lula did in Brazil. The world is looking at us.”.

Sánchez then added that “hope will overcome the setback” and that “if Brazil could, Spain can”.

Lula won the second round of the Brazilian presidential elections on October 24, after being defeated in the first round by the opponent Flávio Bolsonaro, in a campaign marked by the popular and digital mobilization of the supporters of the PT candidate.

Before landing in Madrid, Lula participated in the COP31 climate summit in Antália, Turkey, between Wednesday and Thursday, arrived on Friday in Manila, Philippines, to participate, as a guest, at the 49th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).