Brazilian President Lula announced on Saturday (24) that he will 'make politics' and travel across the country starting next month to combat what he called 'lies', 'rascality', and 'fake news'. The statements were made during a trip to the interior of Mato Grosso, where the launch ceremony of the Solo Vivo program took place, which aims to recover degraded soil and strengthen family agriculture, according to the government. 'Next month, I'll make politics in this country. Next month, I'll start walking this country because I think it's time for us to take responsibility for not allowing lies, rascality, and fake news to take over and bury the truth in this country', said the President. He continued: 'We are part of those politicians who at least don't want to lose the right to walk the streets with our heads held high. I was raised by an illiterate mother, and the thing she most demanded from us was not to lie and to respect others'. The statements come after Lula faced intense crises due to opposition publications on social media. This week, the government rushed to announce a rollback on changes to the IOF (Financial Operations Tax) late Thursday night, fearing a repeat of the traumatic experience of the Pix crisis in January. At the time, the spread of distorted information about taxation of operations made by the system invaded social media and affected the President's popularity. 'I'm convinced that we have a moral obligation to make truth defeat lies in this country', said Lula on Saturday. The PT leader associated lies with 'wicked' and 'aggressive' people, 'who don't respect opponents' and 'who don't know how to live democratically', although he did not mention former President Jair Bolsonaro, his main rival. He again defended regulating social media and mentioned, at that moment, the prohibition of cell phones in schools. The President visited the Santo Antônio da Fartura settlement in the municipality of Campo Verde (about 130 km from Cuiabá). The agenda also included the delivery of agricultural machinery keys. Lula was accompanied by ministers and local politicians, including Mato Grosso Governor Mauro Mendes, a Bolsonaro supporter. Sitting next to the President, Mendes was booed on more than one occasion during the ceremony. He also heard chants of 'Mauro, do L', a reference to the public's initial letter to Lula. The Governor supported Bolsonaro in the 2022 elections and participated in recent months in demonstrations by supporters of the former President calling for amnesty for those involved in the January 8, 2023, anti-democratic acts. Another name present at the ceremony was the President of the BNDES (Brazilian National Development Bank), Aloizio Mercadante, who made a speech praising Mendes and highlighting projects developed in partnership between the federal government and the state administration. However, he also caused embarrassment by joking about the episode in which a Bolsonaro supporter hung himself from a truck during a protest after the 2022 election. In his speech, the Governor praised his own administration and congratulated the President on the initiative. When mentioning large farmers, he said the public should not boo them.
https://jornaldebrasilia.com.br/noticias/politica-e-poder/lula-diz-que-vai-intensificar-viagens-pelo-pais-para-reagir-a-fake-news/