University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository NotiSur Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) 1-10-2003 President Lula Takes Office LADB Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/notisur Recommended Citation LADB Staff. "President Lula Takes Office." (2003). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/notisur/13105 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in NotiSur by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. LADB Article Id: 52864 ISSN: 1089-1560 President Lula Takes Office by LADB Staff Category/Department: Brazil Published: 2003-01-10 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva became Brazil's 36th president on Jan. 1. The 57-year-old former union leader took over from President Fernando Henrique Cardoso in Brazil's first transition between two democratically elected presidents in over 40 years. "The time has come to tread a new path," Lula said in his inaugural address, adding that Brazil's progress had been stalled by the "economic, social, and moral impasse" of a system based on self-interest. "Yes, we are going to change things, with courage and care, humility and daring," he said. "I am not the result of an election, but of history. I am bringing to life the dream that generations and generations before me tried but were unable to achieve," said Lula. Lula won the Oct. 27 runoff with 61% of the votes. As he takes office, he has a 76% approval rating, a record in Brazil and among the highest approval ratings of any head of state.