“At the same time we will promote sustainable development of the communities of the Amazon.”
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- #quote
- #trusted-source
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker who has served as president of Brazil since 2023 and from 2003 to 2011. He is a member of the Workers' Party.
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politics · President of Brazil (2003–2011; since 2023) · trade unionist · politician · turner · functionary · union member · also Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, Silva
Born 27 October 1945 · Q37181
97 published statements · 0 followers
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This isn’t a victory of mine or the Workers’ Party, nor the parties that supported me in campaign. It’s the victory of a democratic movement that formed above political parties, personal interests and ideologies so that democracy came out victorious.
85%Associated PressSource
2026· 6 entries
“This isn’t a victory of mine or the Workers’ Party, nor the parties that supported me in campaign. It’s the victory of a democratic movement that formed above political parties, personal interests and ideologies so that democracy came out victorious.”
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- #trusted-source
- #apnews.com
“Certainly its author ... must be more worried than I am ... it deserves action.”
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ABC: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva lanza su campaña con discurso enfocado en los programas sociales
- #news
- #headline
The Lufkin Daily News: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a convention held by the Workers' Party (PT), in Sao Paulo
- #news
- #headline
The Daily News | Texas' Oldest Newspaper: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signs law creating credit line for firms hit by U.S. tariffs
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- #headline
2025· 2 entries
The Brazilian frog species Brachycephalus lulai was named in his honor
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Lula became the first Brazilian president since 1992 to have one of his decrees overturned by Congress following its rejection of a proposal to raise a financial transactions tax
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2023· 2 entries
Career landmark: President of Brazil (2023).
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- #milestone
“the United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace”
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- #quote
2022· 4 entries
AP News rated the claim “Video of a fireworks display shows a celebration in northeast Brazil after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected president on Sunday.” False.
Shown as reported and rated by a fact checker, not as an established fact.
- #fact-check
- #rated
- #claim-about-figure
Election won: 2022 election.
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- #election
- #won
Campaign: 2022 election.
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- #election
- #campaign
34 environmental defenders were murdered in this region
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2021· 1 entry
By the Supreme Federal Court, in a ruling which also found serious biases in the first case against him, also annulling all other pending cases
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2019· 1 entry
While he was serving time in jail in Curitiba, Paraná, on corruption charges
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2018· 3 entries
Due to his corruption conviction, in accordance with Brazil's Lei da Ficha Limpa law
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“Party candidate for president again in the 2018 election. In September, he led a caravan of supporters which travelled through the states of Brazil, starting with Minas Gerais, whose governor was Lula”
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- #wikipedia
- #quote
Campaign: 2018 presidential election.
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- #election
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2017· 1 entry
Lula announced he would stand as the Workers' Party candidate for president again in the 2018 election
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2015· 1 entry
Lula, along with his former chief of staff Gilberto Carvalho and five others, was indicted in a corruption probe as part of Operation Zelotes, regarding payment of R$6 million in bribes (US $1
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2014· 1 entry
Brazil began Operação Lava Jato (English: Operation Car Wash), resulting in multiple arrests and convictions, including nine suits against Lula
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2013· 1 entry
Awarded Grand Cross of the National Order of Benin (2013).
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- #award
- #achievement
2012· 2 entries
Awarded Catalonia International Prize (2012).
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Won Four Freedoms Award – Freedom Medal (2012).
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- #trophy
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2011· 1 entry
Awarded World Food Prize (2011).
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- #award
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2010· 6 entries
Awarded Indira Gandhi Peace Prize (2010).
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- #award
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Awarded Order of the Umayyads presented by Bashar al-Assad (2010).
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- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
While education was compulsory for all children in Brazil aged 7 to 14, in practice that requirement was only loosely enforced; 90% of children in rural areas attended school for less than four years, and only 25% of chi
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- #wikipedia
- #event
Brazilians largely had a different view than Lula, as only 13% had at least some confidence in Chávez, while 70% had little or no confidence in him
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In addition, Brazilians largely disagreed with Lula as to how to handle Iran and Iran's nuclear weapons programme
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The Wall Street Journal noted that: "[Brazil's] public sector is bloated and riddled with corruption
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2009· 7 entries
Awarded Order of Liberty presented by Viktor Yushchenko (2009).
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- #award
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Awarded Chatham House Prize (2009).
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- #award
- #achievement
“General Debate of the 64th Session”
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Was a function of the 2008 financial crisis
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In order to benefit the automotive companies Grupo Caoa and MMC
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Lula gave a speech in which he said that "gringos" should pay Amazon nations to prevent deforestation
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Lula warmly hosted Iranian president Ahmadinejad, who made a controversial visit to Brazil
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2008· 5 entries
Awarded Grand Cross of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword (2008).
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- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize (2008).
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- #wikidata
- #award
- #achievement
Brazil enjoyed economic good health to mitigate the 2008 financial crisis with a large economic stimulus lasting, at least, until 2014
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That Chávez was "the best president the country has had in 100 years
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Was awarded the UNESCO Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize
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- #event
2007· 4 entries
Awarded Grand Collar of the Order of the Andes' Condor (2007).
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Awarded Knight of the Order of the Elephant (2007).
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- #achievement
Career landmark: President of Brazil (2007–2010).
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Lula's government announced the Growth Acceleration Programme (Programa de Aceleração de Crescimento, PAC), an investment programme which sought to solve many of the problems that prevented the Brazilian economy from exp
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- #wikipedia
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2006· 7 entries
Awarded Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (2006).
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Awarded Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (2006).
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Primary education was extended from 8 to 9 years
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“I need to respect the laws of a [foreign] country. If my friendship with the president of Iran and the respect that I have for him is worth something, if this woman has become a nuisance, we will receive her in Brazil”
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- #wikipedia
- #quote
Was successfully re-elected in the second round
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Many Brazilians and commentators felt that Lula had not done enough to improve the quality of public education
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Of execution by stoning, led to calls for Lula to intercede on her behalf
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2005· 1 entry
Awarded Grand Cross of the Order of Boyacá presented by Álvaro Uribe Vélez (2005).
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- #award
- #achievement
2004· 5 entries
Awarded Order of Amilcar Cabral 1st Class (2004).
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- #award
- #achievement
The surplus was US$29 billion, due to a substantial increase in global demand for commodities
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Pushed for the creation of a "Federal Council of Journalists" (CFJ) and a "National Cinema Agency" (Ancinav), the latter designed to overhaul funding for electronic communications
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Lula had presented a road map for curbing deforestation
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“he would not consider revoking the action.”
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2003· 6 entries
Awarded Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class presented by Leonid Kuchma (2003).
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- #achievement
Awarded Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic presented by Juan Carlos I of Spain (2003).
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Awarded Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of the Sun of Peru presented by Alejandro Toledo (2003).
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- #achievement
Awarded Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation (2003).
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- #award
- #achievement
Awarded Grand Collar of the Order of Liberty (2003).
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- #award
- #achievement
Career landmark: President of Brazil (2003–2006).
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- #milestone
2002· 1 entry
“Si había alguien en Brasil que dudaba de que un tornero mecánico, salido de una fábrica, llegase a la Presidencia, el 2002 probó lo contrario. Y yo, que tantas veces fui criticado por no tener un diploma de nivel superior, recibo ahora mi primer diploma: el de presidente de la República de mi país. Muchas gracias.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #lang:es
1995· 1 entry
By the Fernando Henrique Cardoso administration, which was named Bolsa Escola (School Stipend)
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1994· 2 entries
“Comício em João Monlevade (MG), maio de 1994”
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And again, by a somewhat smaller margin, as Lula garnered only 32% of the vote in 1998
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1989· 1 entry
Lula ran for president as the PT candidate
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1987· 2 entries
“Sobre Ronaldo Caiado, julho de 1987.”
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Career landmark: federal deputy of São Paulo (1987–1991).
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- #milestone
1986· 1 entry
Was elected a federal deputy in the state of São Paulo
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1985· 10 entries
“La democracia, para mí, no es una media palabra. Es una palabra completa. Algunos entienden por democracia apenas el derecho del pueblo a gritar que tiene hambre. Yo entiendo por democracia no sólo el derecho de gritar contra el hambre sino el derecho de comer. Esa es la diferencia fundamental. Democracia, para mí es permitir el derecho de adquirir conquistas, y no sólo el derecho a la protesta.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
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“O comunista pra mim é aquela pessoa que não tem coragem de dizer as coisas em público, diz no pé da orelha dos outros, e que sempre pensa ser o dono da verdade. Essa é a definição que eu tenho do comunista.”
- #wikiquote
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- #undated
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“O comunista profissional é aquele que prega a distribuição de renda, diz que é pobre e chega na época das eleições consegue gastar alguns bilhões de cruzeiros na sua campanha para se eleger deputado. Este é o político profissional. É aquele que prega mesmo, que diz que é pobre, que é operário, e gasta bilhões de cruzeiros para se eleger deputado ou senador.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
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“Si hay una cosa que admiro de Estados Unidos es que lo primero que piensan es en ellos, lo segundo es en ellos y lo tercero en ellos. Y si aún les queda tiempo, piensan en ellos nuevamente.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
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“Operário é aquele que pede menos nesta terra. O operário é aquele que dá tudo de si para o engrandecimento da pátria e é o que menos recebe. O operário é, acima de tudo, o responsável pela grandeza dessa terra. É o responsável, até, de proporcionar viagens de iates para meia duzia de brasileiros que são privilegiados. O operário, em síntese, é tudo aquilo que pessoas honestas gostariam de ser.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
“Si uno conoce a un izquierdista muy viejo es porque debe estar con problemas [...] La gente se transforma en el camino del medio. Aquel que precisa ser seguido por la sociedad [...] quien va más de derecha, va quedando más de centro. Quien está más de izquierda, va quedando más socialdemócrata, menos a la izquierda.”
- #wikiquote
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“Yo sigo pensando que si la gente aceptase la disminución de la edad para castigarlos a los 16 años, mañana estarían pidiéndola a los 15, después a los 9, después a los 10. Quién sabe, algún día, queramos castigar hasta al feto, si ya supiéramos lo que a ocurrir en el futuro.”
- #wikiquote
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“O Hitler, mesmo errado, tinha aquilo que eu admiro num homem, o fogo de se propor a fazer alguma coisa e tentar fazer.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
“Se tem uma coisa que eu me orgulho, neste País, é que não tem uma viva alma mais honesta do que eu. Nem dentro da Polícia Federal, nem dentro do Ministério Público, nem dentro da igreja católica, nem dentro da igreja evangélica. Pode ter igual, mas eu duvido.”
- #wikiquote
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- #undated
- #lang:en
- #lang:pt
- #multi-edition
“Nós consideramos que esse apelo ao "voto útil" é uma proposta fascista, pois pressupõe que a existência da força política do PMDB depende da inexistência de outras forças políticas. E nós, no PT, nós defendemos a existência do PMDB, do mesmo modo que defendemos a nossa própria existência.”
- #wikiquote
- #saying
- #undated
- #lang:pt
1983· 1 entry
Helped found the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) trade union association
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1982· 2 entries
For the state government of São Paulo, but lost with 11% of the vote
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Added the nickname Lula to his legal name
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1980· 1 entry
Helped start the Workers' Party during Brazil's redemocratization
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1979· 1 entry
Lula was asked in an interview which historical figures he admired most
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1975· 1 entry
And re-elected in 1978, as president of the ABC Metalworkers' Union of São Bernardo do Campo and Diadema
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- #event
1973· 1 entry
“These invasions only happen because the United Nations is weak.”
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1971· 1 entry
While pregnant with a child, who also died
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1964· 1 entry
At the age of 19, he lost his left pinky finger in a machinery accident, while working as a press operator in the factory
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1961· 1 entry
Started working as an apprentice of a press operator in a metallurgical company that produced screws, while studying in a vocational course
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1960· 1 entry
When he was 14, he got his first formal job, in a warehouse
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1945· 1 entry
Born 1945-10-27.
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- #birth