A Man of the Land

Born poor in a working class family, Lula da Silva moved to Sao Paula in search of better life and his father. Challenged by life, he was supported by his mother. He had little or no formal education, started working at age 8 as a street vendor, and then as a shoe shiner until finally he made his career as a metal worker. While working in a factory as a press operator, in an accident he lost his little pinkie finger. So his detractors called him nine-finger Lula, said he cut it off to get the state benefits. Inspired by his brother he became a trade unionist, started the left-leaning Workers’ Party. Led major strike during the dictatorship in Brazil, emerged as a lion politician of the Latin American left. After initial failures in 2002 he became the President. Amidst charges of corruption and a brief stay in jail, he got re-elected in 2006, and also in 2023 as the first Brazilian President for the third term. Brazil’s deep polarization came to an apex after his win in the last presidential election. The opposition supporters claimed it was rigged, stormed President’s house, demanding he be deposed. Despite his efforts to undertake radical reforms for poverty alleviation and social welfare measures, his popularity seems to dip, some call him loser Lula, but he still remains a “sertanejo”- a man of the land. _______________ April 26, 2023 Contest : They Say He's A Loser Sponsored by : Joe Meverick