The government’s proposal integrates a self-sufficient foreign policy, industrial development, artificial intelligence and the use of strategic minerals with policies of social inclusion. Among its commitments are strengthening the Mercosur, reducing deforestation, expanding education and public health, and ending the 6×1 work schedule.
Martha Andrés Román
The national project proposed by the leadership comprising of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin has 13 key areas aimed at deepening the policies of the current administration and transforming its continuation into a new phase of structural changes.
This programme can be construed as an agreement to continuity with depth, which preserves signature policies from the current presidency while more clearly incorporating objectives for technological sovereignty, reindustrialisation, working rights, and autonomy in the face of external pressures. Under the title “Guidelines for Brazil’s transformation programme: A sovereign, democratic, developed, sustainable, and creative country,” the 84-page text is a first draft that can be added to. However, it makes it possible to identify the proposal’s organising concept from the beginning: sovereignty as a condition for development, not just as a diplomatic principle.
The leadership rejects any subordination of Brazil to foreign interests and used a critical tone towards automatic alignments.
Such emphasis is gaining international relevance due to the current state of relations between Brazil and the United States, marked by rising tensions and warnings from various sectors about possible electoral interference from Washington.
The program mentions the trade measures adopted by Donald Trump’s government and stands up for Brazil’s ability to make decisions without external restrictions.
Sovereignty and foreign policy
However, Lula’s stance is not just limited to responding to Washington. The document proposes strengthening the Mercosur, deepening South American integration, and consolidating South America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace.
It also reclaims multilateralism, the peaceful resolution of arguments, and greater cooperation with the countries of the Global South. Brazil aspires to maintain an active and autonomous foreign policy.
Sovereignty also appears to be linked to the economy, as the program supports reindustrialisation, innovation, and the development of national capabilities in strategic sectors.
“New Industry Brazil” plays a prominent part, alongside science, technology, and the transition to a less carbon-intensive economy.
One of the most innovative elements is the importance given to artificial intelligence; consideration has already been given to developing the national computing infrastructure, strengthening Brazilian companies, and creating domestic abilities in language models and digital technologies.
Critical minerals and rare earth elements have received similar treatment; the leaders propose avoiding the exportation of these resources solely as raw materials, opting instead for internal processing with the goal of increasing value added for the nation and reducing vulnerabilities with regards to global supply chains.
Brasil 247 construes this set of measures as part of a strategy that links sovereignty, economic growth, industrial policy, and inequality reduction. This is a significant interpretation because it shows that the concept of national autonomy spans both foreign policy and domestic economic decisions.
Development and social rights
Combating inequality is another key interdisciplinary point. The program proposes maintaining the value of the minimum wage, widening social protection, and deepening fiscal justice, while reaffirming policies aimed at women, black people, Indigenous populations and Quilombola communities founded by escaped slaves, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQIAP+ community.
In this regard, the proposal maintains one of the distinctive characteristics of Lula’s government: the idea that growth must translate into social inclusion. Education, health, housing, food, culture, and sport are presented as rights and, simultaneously, as components of a national development strategy.
The labour agenda includes one of the promises with the greatest potential impact: Lula and Alckmin are committing to moving away from the 6×1 work schedule and towards a 40-hour working week with no reduction in pay.
The program also proposes combating forms of precarious employment and creating protective mechanisms for digital platform workers.
Brasil 247 identifies the end of the 6×1 schedule as one of the document’s key social commitments, alongside environmental and security initiatives.
Deepening public policies
Regarding the environment, the leadership reaffirms the goal of achieving net-zero deforestation by 2030, as well as maintaining protections for biomes, fighting wildfires, and expanding adaptation policies for extreme weather events.
The energy transition combines renewable energy, biofuels, and low-emission technologies with continued oil exploitation. This is a scenario in which Petrobras would keep a strategic role, while Brazil would seek to expand its industrial capacity into sectors associated with the energy transition.
The project also proposes to strengthen democracy and social participation, expand measures for transparency and modernise the State through digital tools. Platform regulation is linked to the battle against disinformation and hate speech, although the text reaffirms the defence of freedom of expression.
In education, Lula proposes continuing the expansion of full-time teaching, federal institutes, and public universities. The program also maintains student retention policies and links scientific training to the country’s technological sovereignty.
In healthcare, the Unified Health System (SUS) retains its central role. The proposal combines reducing waiting lists, digitalisation, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence with strengthening the domestic production of medicines and supplies.
Housing also holds a prominent place through the expansion of the “Minha Casa Minha Vida” program, while urban policies include sanitation, public transport, and infrastructure.
Likewise, the platform combines support for family farming with measures designed to preserve the competitiveness of the agribusiness sector. The goal is to ensure food supplies, strengthen domestic production, and, at the same time, ensure a well-functioning trade balance and the growth of the Gross Domestic Product. PL
(Translated by Donna Davison – Email: donna_davison@hotmail.com) – Photos: Pixabay
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