Lula thanks Fidel Castro for 'stimulus' to his political career

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed gratitude to the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, crediting him with providing "stimulus" to his political trajectory. Lula sent a message to an international colloquium in Havana dedicated to Castro on the occasion of his centenary.

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If today I am at the head of the Presidency of Brazil for the third time, it is thanks to the stimulus and wisdom of Fidel Castro.

"If today I am at the head of the Presidency of Brazil for the third time, it is thanks to the stimulus and wisdom of Fidel Castro," Lula stated in his message. The 80-year-old Brazilian president, who is seeking a fourth term, also conveyed a message of "strength and hope" to the people of Cuba, expressing his wish for "fraternity and justice to persist amid adversity."

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the people of Cuba the same message of strength and hope

Lula and Castro maintained a close friendship throughout their lives. Following Castro's death in 2016, Lula described his passing as the loss of an elder brother, recalling their decades-long "affectionate and intense relationship, based on the search for paths for the emancipation" of their peoples.

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the fraternity and justice persist in the midst of adversity

The message from Lula was delivered by Brazilian intellectual and theologian Frei Betto at the international colloquium "Fidel: legacy and future." This event is part of the commemorative activities marking the 100th anniversary of Castro's birth. Frei Betto also recalled his extensive 1985 interview with the former Cuban leader, which spanned four sessions totaling 23 hours and resulted in the book "Fidel and Religion."

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as the loss of an older brother