Lula says he is destined to turn Brazil into an upper-middle-class country

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he feels destined to transform Brazil into an upper-middle-class country, invoking the social welfare systems developed in Europe during the last century.

"I am destined to transform this country into an upper-middle-class country. You talk about the Europeans reaching a welfare state. Why can't we achieve that? Is our people worse than them?" Lula said in an interview with Rádio Progresso in Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará.

Lula, seeking a fourth presidential election, also claimed that no previous president had achieved more during other years in office. To reinforce his campaign message, he cited economic figures and programs created during his third term, including Pé-de-Meia.

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I am destined to transform this country into an upper-middle-class country. You talk about the Europeans reaching a welfare state. Why can't we achieve that? Is our people worse than them?

The president reaffirmed his support for Ceará Governor Elmano de Freitas, who is seeking re-election, and said rival Ciro Gomes had moved to the other side. Lula said he had seen campaign material featuring Ciro alongside him and wanted voters to understand that Ciro no longer supported him, while Elmano did.

Lula expressed confidence that Elmano would win and said he would work to persuade his supporters in Ceará, a stronghold for him, to vote for the governor as well. "I consider myself a good campaigner. I am not one of the best, but I am a good campaigner," Lula said, adding that he hoped to earn enough public trust to transfer his votes to Elmano.

During his visit to the Cariri region, Lula was scheduled to inspect works on Ceará's Water Belt, part of the São Francisco River diversion project, before joining a campaign walk in Juazeiro do Norte.

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I consider myself a good campaigner. I am not one of the best, but I am a good campaigner.