Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vowed to uphold social justice and defend the rights of all citizens as Brazil enters a new political cycle in 2026, in a year-end address to the nation.
Speaking just hours before the closure of 2025, the president outlined Brazil’s removal from the UN Hunger Map for the second time and the landmark income tax exemption for citizens earning up to R$ 5,000 monthly.
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Lula also pointed to economic resilience in the face of elevated U.S. tariffs, the revitalization of the Minha Casa Minha Vida social housing program, and the expansion of the public healthcare system via the Agora Tem Especialistas initiative.
“A dignified home is a fundamental right,” Lula stated, linking housing policy to the massive São Francisco River diversion project, which he described as bringing water to millions in the drought-prone Northeast.
Estamos terminando 2025 com ótimas notícias nessa última semana, batendo recordes em cima de recordes:
🔹 Menor taxa de desemprego da história (5,2%)
🔹 Maior número de pessoas ocupadas (103 milhões)
🔹 Maior número de pessoas com carteira assinada (39,4 milhões)
🔹 Maior… pic.twitter.com/gvUas3tbS9— Lula (@LulaOficial) December 31, 2025
Regarding housing, he noted that Minha Casa Minha Vida “has returned, now reaching the middle class, and the Reforma Casa Brasil program is also being launched. Because decent housing is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed. Through the São Francisco River Interbasin Transfer—the world’s largest water infrastructure project—the Brazilian government is bringing water to millions of families in the Northeast.”
The president credited the New Growth Acceleration Program (PAC) with helping Brazil achieve its lowest historical unemployment rate. He acknowledged, however, that violent crime remains a persistent national challenge, noting that federal police recently executed the largest-ever operation against organized crime, targeting “the highest levels” of criminal factions.
Concluding on a diplomatic note, Lula asserted that neither domestic crime nor trade tensions with the United States would deter Brazil’s commitment to global “dialogue and fraternity,” emphasizing that the country “does not shy away from the struggle.”
2025 provou: quando o governo trabalha, o povo avança. Emprego, renda, direitos e esperança voltaram à vida de milhões de brasileiros. Avançamos muito, mas o Brasil pode ir mais longe. Seguimos firmes, com trabalho, fé e compromisso com o povo.
🎥 Audiovisual/PR pic.twitter.com/FT4pGPk6Yj
— Lula (@LulaOficial) December 30, 2025
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