March 17, 2004

Brazil's Leftward Shift

It was November, 1989, and I was in the interior town of Crato, in the northeastern state of Ceará, Brazil. Some Brazilian friends had invited me to a political rally, and I eagerly accepted. I was not prepared for what I saw.

The center of town was packed with people. They were all chanting and carrying red hammer-and-sickle flags. A stage had been set up in the middle of the square (or praça), and a man, who bore a striking resemblance to Karl Marx himself, was standing there haranguing the crowd about western imperialists and the evils of capitalism. I have seldom felt so out of place in my life.

The speaker was Luis Inácio Lula da Silva. He lost that election, and the next two. But persistence--as well as some radical re-imaging--paid off, and he is now the president of Brazil.

I have always been leery of Lula (as he is commonly known), yet hopeful that he will effect the change that is necessary for growth in Brazil. Recently, however, it seems that he is more interested in the political brownie points he gets by thumbing his nose at Bush than in true reform for his own country. The article linked here gives a rather disturbing view of the policies of his administration.

Please remember to be in prayer for you missionaries in Brazil. Never before in history has it been such a liability to be an American in that country. Pray especially that we will remain "on message", transmitting the Gospel, un-adulterated by American culture or politics.

Posted by Andrew on March 17, 2004 11:54 AM.