The speech combined President Lula’s personal history, deep empathy for workers, and high praise for BYD’s investment in Brazil, focusing on the following core areas:
1. Personal Background and Beliefs
-
Lula mentioned his personal journey, stating that he is the only Brazilian President without a university degree, yet serving a third term.
-
He attributed his success to the Brazilian people’s choice and a belief in a “higher power,” emphasizing that he has more reason than anyone to believe in God due to his life story.
-
He recalled his humble beginnings, having been born in a land where many children died young and first eating bread only at the age of seven.
2. Praise for BYD and its Founder
-
Lula expressed admiration for BYD’s founder (without naming him directly), recounting the story of how the founder was orphaned at a young age and raised by his 18-year-old brother.
-
He hailed the founder as a “genius of electric cars” and a “genius of the world’s most advanced technology.”
3. Gratitude for Investment and Replacing Ford
-
He thanked BYD for trusting Brazil and believing it was possible to invest in the country.
-
Lula framed Ford’s departure as an opportunity, stating that “God writes straight with crooked lines,” and Ford’s exit made way for BYD’s arrival.
-
He stressed that BYD brings the most important and advanced technology in the global automotive industry to Brazil.
4. Restoration of Workers’ Dignity
-
This was the most emotional part of the speech, where Lula shared his own experience of being unemployed for a year and a half, underscoring the pain of joblessness.
-
He emphasized that having a job means the restoration of dignity.
-
Employment guarantees the right to walk with your head held high, to provide for your family (food, clothing, school supplies), to avoid being treated as a “second-class citizen,” and to enjoy small pleasures like dining out or buying gifts.
-
He noted that the greatest pleasure for a worker is being able to buy what they want, including the new car they helped manufacture.
5. Brazilian Exports and Sovereignty
-
Lula outlined an ambitious vision for BYD to not only sell cars in Brazil but also to export across South America, Latin America, and the African continent.
-
He asserted that having a factory means sovereignty and respect. Dignity, sovereignty, and respect cannot be bought in a shopping mall; they must be conquered and earned.
-
He concluded that this factory is a product of both China and the state of Bahia/Brazil.
6. Final Remarks and Thanks
He thanked the BYD leadership for believing in the project.
- Lula repeated his sentiment about Ford’s departure, saying that while they regret those who left, the current outcome (BYD’s arrival) will be better for Brazil as God “writes straight with crooked lines.”