Political extremism attacks and silences minorities, says Lula in speech at the ILO

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) condemned, in a speech at the International Labor Organization (ILO), in Geneva, Switzerland, political extremism that “attacks and silences minorities”.

Polarization and conflicts

Lula highlighted political polarization on the world stage and ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and Gaza, where “workers who should dedicate themselves to their lives and families are directed to the battlefront”.

The Brazilian president also criticized the growing spending on armaments, citing the sum of US$2.4 trillion spent in 2023, an increase of 7% compared to 2022. “Therefore, it is important to state that the world needs peace and property, not war”, he declared.

Democracy and labor rights

Lula emphasized the importance of democracy and social participation for the achievement of labor rights, stating that “without democracy, a machinist would never have reached the presidency of the Republic of a country like Brazil”.

He also defended the role of the State as a development planner, criticizing the “invisible hand of the market” which, according to him, “only worsens inequality”. Lula pointed out that productivity growth has not been accompanied by rising wages, generating “dissatisfaction and a lot of polarization”.

The Brazilian president called on the popular, progressive and democratic sectors to recover the “anti-hegemonic flag”, stating that “the denial of politics leaves a vacuum to be filled by adventurers who spread lies and hatred”.

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