In Brazil, the week ended with the visit of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Maranhão. There the president of the South American Giant announced this Friday a package of measures that will benefit the residents of that Brazilian state.

The idea is to bring investments, employment and income to Maranhão. Or as the head of state himself summarized it in his profile on the social network X: a better quality of life. To this end, it’s intended to allocate more than 59 billion reais to works, among which appears the project to expand Litorânea Avenue, from São Luís, the state capital, to the municipality of São José de Ribamar, with the creation of exclusive lanes for public transport.

During his stay, the leader of the Workers' Party announced that a renewable energy receiving pole is planned to be established in the district. Lula da Silva also announced the intention to build community sports spaces in 23 municipalities of Maranhão. These will include the necessary equipment and they are designed, according to official information, mainly for children, young people, adults and elders who live in highly vulnerable places.

It turns out that Brazil is not just its big cities, famous for filmography and soap operas. Despite being one of the main economies in the hemisphere, in the South American Giant there are many locations where poverty prevails. Maranhão is, precisely, of the 26 states of the nation, one of the least economically favored.

Maranhão is located in the northeast of Brazil, a region where precariousness contrasts with the most developed enclaves and where almost half of the country's poor live, according to 2018 reports from the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador. The economy of that state is based on industry, services, agriculture, and natural gas production.

Another goal proclaimed by the Brazilian president during his visit to Maranhão was to ensure internet connection for more than 10,000 public basic education schools in the state. This initiative will be carried out following a digital inclusion approach, according to the Brazilian Presidency site.

In Lula da Silva’s words, with the new package of measures launched, he is doing what he was elected to do. Since the beginning of his current term of government on January 1, 2023, the septuagenarian president has kept a policy aimed at reducing the inequalities accumulated for decades of capitalism. As part of his agenda, they have highlighted the tours, together with other members of the cabinet, through disadvantaged localities. This time, his battle to alleviate poverty reached Maranhão.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff