By the economist Luis Palma Cané

After two consecutive terms of office, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva handed over power to his former Chief of Staff Dilma Roussef. Lula leaves office with a record of acceptance by the company exceeding 85%, fruit-beyond-his enormous charisma of important achievements made during his tenure: to reduce poverty by 30 million citizens, increasing class average 20 million, tight control of fiscal balance and inflation, average annual growth of GDP of over 4% (double in comparison with the previous 8 years), the economy in the 8 th place worldwide, plans to reduce social and location of Brazil as a power of weight in world politics, among other tasks of great importance.

Lula's success beyond that of course has left some problems to be solved such as: recent emergence of a fiscal deficit of 3%, strong increase in government spending, excessive real appreciation (100% during his two presidential terms) and a increase in inflationary pressures (5.6% per year) - was due in large part to the continuity of the policies of openness and freedom of the market started with the Real Plan in early 1994, under the direction of Fernando Henrique Cardoso, then Minister of Economy of Itamar Franco, which are still valid and 5 past administrations since then.

For his part, said Dilma there will be continuity and progress of these (16 of his 37 ministers in the government acted Lula) As in our country!

Then, we extract a few paragraphs of his inauguration to help identify some of its main ideas and objectives:

-? I will not rest as long as Brazilians without food and poor children abandoned on the street to fend for themselves? (9% of the population is still mired in poverty and homelessness)

-? During the dictatorship (he was 3 years prey) endured extreme hardship, as most of those who dare to face the dock ... but I have no resentment or bitterness. We look to the future?

-? My government will work to secure permanent state presence in all regions more sensitive to the action of the drug crime. The state of Rio de Janeiro (with its plan to attack major traffickers favelas) has shown how important the coordinated action of the security forces ... including, when necessary, the active participation of the armed forces?

-? I call upon all to participate in the effort to transform our country. Once again, I extend my hand to the opposition parties. There will be on my side, or my government, discrimination, privileges or intimidation?

-? I take my total commitment to freedom of expression. I prefer the noise to silence the free press of dictatorships?

-? Maintain economic stability as an absolute value. "We will not allow under any circumstance, that this plague again harm our economic strength, punishing greatly to the poorest families?. In hindsight, these concepts were ratified by the new Central Bank president, Alexandre Tombini-who officially declared? Keep the purchasing power of our currency will be a permanent objective for this government and especially for the monetary authority: growth sustainable only be achieved with a minimum level of inflation, which guarantees the arrival of investments that generate jobs and income then?

-? The fiscal balance is an essential tool of our economic policy?. In this regard, and after the first Cabinet meeting, the Planning superminister "said Miriam Belchior, ... budget cuts will be made at a cost of around 15 billion dollars and also will encourage private investment in key infrastructure sectors?.

For brevity of space, I leave the reader to compare these definitions with the political and economic force in our country today. Surely, the conclusion, to paraphrase Bill Clinton, could be summarized with the following sentence:? It is the policy, stupid?.

Source: EL CRONISTA