Vote for Lula, vote for a new direction to Brazil!

The left and the Opposition were strengthened by the elections on October 6. Both PT (Partido dos Trabalhadores, Workers' Party) and PCdoB, obtained historical results. Lula received 39,443,765 votes, 46.4 percent of the 84,928,134 valid ballots. On the other hand, José Serra, the government's candidate, did not receive half the votes of the main opposing candidate: 19,700,395 ballots. The renovation rate of the House of Representatives reached 47 percent: 240 out of 513 posts will be held by politicians who do not take part in the present legislature. More than 180 oppose the current government, which supporting representatives diminished. In the Senate also there were significant changes that favor the Opposition. Two thirds of the 81 posts were disputed and the renovation rate almost reached 50 percent. Out of the 54 new senators, 10 are affiliated with PT, 4 with PDT, 3 with PSB, 2 with PL and 1 with PPS - all parties that opposed the government's league. In state elections, the Opposition won four governor offices and disputes nine during the runoff, including states of great electoral concentration, such as São Paulo, Ceará, Rio Grande do Sul and Pará. It was clearly shown that the Brazilian people understood that the present path trodden by the country is disastrous and that they are willing to change the policies imposed by the government of president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The people intends to build a new destiny that grants national dignity, participation in decisions regarding the country and new political methods. Cardoso's economic orientation favored a minority that profited a lot with the high interest rates and speculation involving our currency. This orientation sacrificed the vast majority of the population who wants a new direction involving development, the generation of more jobs, meeting the basic needs regarding health, education, transportation, worthy wages etc.

Broadening the political and social alliance

The current situation of severe economic crisis has political implications that constitute the objective bases for the broadening of the political and social alliance that may grant Lula's victory on October 27. Broader sectors of the workers, of the middle strata of the population, business people, intellectuals and military may be gathered around the national project of the new government, resuming growth, strengthening the domestic marked, creating jobs, widening democracy.

The expressive votes received by the Coalition Lula for President has shown it is the main focus of the will to change. Lula is the only candidate able to unite the majority of the Brazilian citizens around a new project, a new direction for Brazil. In order to guarantee the victory in the important battle during the runoff of the elections, the Coalition must therefore reaffirm its program of change, in defense of Brazil, democracy and the rights of the people. The runoff will also take place for the government of the Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Sergipe, Ceará, Pará and Amapá states and the Federal District - where PCdoB takes part of coalitions in the dispute. In states where the Party does not take part in the dispute during the runoff, it supports candidates that will be involved in the Coalition Lula for President. PCdoB understands that the struggle for these state governments, its relation to Lula's presidential campaign and - with the victory of the Opposition - the relation between state administrations and the federal government will play a fundamental role in the implementation of policies that will build a democratic, progressive, sovereign and dignified Brazil. Since 1989 the Communist Party of Brazil takes part, along with PT, of the political center that searches a democratic, popular and progressive way out of the impasses being faced by Brazil. The possibility of victory in this project were never that near in the whole history of the country. The communists must multiply even more their efforts in order to guarantee democratic victories in states where the runoff will take place and the election of Lula.

Making the Party grow and strengthen

In the first round the participation of the Communist Party was victorious. It elected 12 federal representatives, 17 state representatives and the vice-governor of the state of Piauí. As long as the votes for the House of Representatives are concerned (votes cast for both candidates and the Party), PCdoB received 1,967,135 votes, reaching 2.25 percent of the 87,532,533 valid ballots. In the elections for the Senate, it received 6,185,951 ballots. Wagner Gomes, in São Paulo, almost reached 3,5 million votes; the Party obtained 17 percent of the votes in the Federal District and 13 percent in Bahia, among other great performances. Even where no communists were elected, such as is the case of Alagoas and Paraíba, PCdoB's candidates to the Senate received expressive votes. PCdoB received a total of 9,281,543 votes for senators, federal and state representatives. In the runoff, along with the active participation in achieving votes for the Presidency of the Republic and for the candidates of coalitions of which it takes part, the communist militancy will make efforts to strengthen the Party. PCdoB must multiply the bonds that links it to labor movements, especially the union movement, youth social entities, boosting the conscience and the organization of the people. In the last effort of the electoral campaign, the communists must extend the party organization to all places, affiliating thousands of new militants, constituting hundreds of new committees in municipalities, intensifying the insertion of the communist bases.

This historical October is an extraordinary opportunity for PCdoB to reach a new level in its existence. The challenge of affiliating and organizing new bases, preparing the structure of new committees and consolidating existing ones is already present. Our members must thank the trust of voters wherever communist candidates were elected. And it must join the celebration of the victory achieved by the Brazilian people in this first round wherever mandates were not achieved. Campaign committees must keep active in the battle during the runoff. Militant plenary sessions must be organized in order to plan the tasks of the politic and electoral dispute and strengthen party ranks. PCdoB will keep on contributing to the strengthening and broadening of the national and democratic front. Communists reaffirm their commitment with the broad civic movement to elect democratic governments in the states and for the victory of Lula, beginning a new era for Brazil.

São Paulo, October 10, 2002.
Political Commission of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of Brazil

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