Bulgaria-Descended Dilma Rousseff Not Just Lula in Lipstick - Brazilian Journalist

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (L) and Dilma Rousseff flashing the Victory-sign after Rousseff's triumph in the run-off vote on 31 October. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Brazilian new president Dilma Rousseff, who has vowed continuity with the term of her predecessor, will easily convince doubters that she is not simply Lula in lipstick, a prominent Brazilian journalist argues.

"She has been keeping a very low profile since the elections, but in a few remarks in this period she managed to give new guidelines to the foreign policy," Pedro Bassan from the Lisbon-based office of Brazil's largest television network Globo TV said in an interview for Novinite.com.

As an example he pointed out Rousseff's assurance that Brazil will be more assertive in human rights protection and less focused on getting a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

Asked to describe the biggest challenge that Dilma Rousseff will face as president of the country, Bassan said:

"The main challenge will be to keep Brazil on track while taking the next step in its economic development. Brazil achieved incredible results in taking millions out of poverty. But now what? How long can we still be raw material dealers?"

According to him Brazil needs to make a strategic jump focused on modernizing the industry and improving the educational system.

The journalist lauded Bulgaria-descended Dilma Rousseff for helping promote the country in Brazil and make Brazilians know more about it.

"Now, many Brazilians know where Gabrovo is. And that is not a joke!," Bassan said, referring to the hometown of Rousseff's father, which is widely known as the world capital of humor.

FULL text of the interview READ HERE

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