The University of North Carolina Press
Known around the world simply as Lula, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva was born in 1945 to illiterate parents who migrated to industrializing Sao Paulo. He learned to read at ten years of age, left school at fourteen, became a skilled metalworker, rose to union leadership, helped end a military dictatorship—and in 2003 became the thirty-fifth president of Brazil. During his administration, Lula led his country through reforms that lifted tens of millions out of poverty. Here, John D. French, one of the foremost historians of Brazil, provides the first critical biography of the leader whom even his political opponents see as strikingly charismatic, humorous, and endearing.
Interweaving an intimate and colorful story of Lula's life—his love for home, soccer, factory floor, and union hall—with an analysis of large-scale forces, French argues that Lula was uniquely equipped to influence the authoritarian structures of power in this developing nation. His cunning capacity to speak with, not at, people and to create shared political meaning was fundamental to his political triumphs. After Lula left office, his opponents convicted and incarcerated him on charges of money laundering and corruption—but his immense army of voters celebrated his recent release from jail, insisting that he is the victim of a right-wing political ambush. The story of Lula is not over.
"Mwanamume Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, anayejulikana duniani kote kama ""Lula,"" alizaliwa mwaka 1945 na wazazi wasiojua kusoma na kuandika ambao walihamia Sao Paulo." Alianza kusoma akiwa na umri wa miaka kumi, aliacha shule akiwa na miaka kumi na nne, akawa fundi stadi, akainuka kuwa kiongozi wa chama cha wafanyakazi, alisaidia kumaliza utawala wa kijeshi wa kidikteta, na mwaka 2003 akawa rais wa thelathini na tano wa Brazil. Wakati wa utawala wake, Lula aliongoza nchi yake kupitia mageuzi ambayo yaliinua mamilioni ya watu kutoka katika umaskini. Katika kitabu hiki, John D. French, mmoja wa wanahistoria mashuhuri wa Brazil, anatoa wasifu wa kwanza wa kiongozi huyo ambaye hata wapinzani wake wa kisiasa wanamwona kuwa mwenye kuvutia sana, mwenye ucheshi, na mwenye kupendeza. Kwa kuunganisha hadithi ya karibu na ya rangi ya maisha ya Lula - upendo wake kwa nyumba, mpira wa miguu, sakafu ya kiwanda, na ukumbi wa chama - na uchambuzi wa nguvu za kiwango kikubwa, Kifaransa kinasema kwamba Lula alikuwa na vifaa vya kipekee kuathiri miundo ya mamlaka katika taifa hili linaloendelea. Uwezo wake wa ujanja wa kuzungumza na, sio kwa, watu na kuunda maana ya kisiasa ya pamoja ulikuwa msingi wa ushindi wake wa kisiasa. Baada ya Lula kuondoka madarakani, wapinzani wake walimshtaki na kumfunga gerezani kwa mashtaka ya uchawi wa fedha na ufisadi, lakini jeshi lake kubwa la wapiga kura lilisherehekea kuachiliwa kwake kutoka gerezani, likisisitiza kwamba yeye ni mhasiriwa wa mtego wa kisiasa wa mrengo wa kulia. Hadithi ya Lula haijakamilika.