Dear Editor,
Incoming Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, a colourful candidate with a revolutionary background who suffered jail and torture at the hands of her military captors, defeated her rival Jose Serra on the performance of the Brazilian economy. President Lula has transformed Brazil to a country that is envied as the leading South American nation with millions being taken out of poverty.
Sometimes it is the successful performance of the past administration which the voters rely on rather than promises. And this makes it difficult for the opposition to convince its supporters that it can do better. Their strategy would be to show that the benefits did not trickle down to their supporters, which is not the case in Brazil.
An interesting scenario is the USA, where the economy and so many other things were wrong that the promises won Obama the presidency. Now the voters at the mid-term election are impatient, especially when they are personally affected.
So to the presidential candidates for the Guyana election, Brazil our neighbour has set an interesting example.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
