TOPIC OF THE DAY– “Lula’s Chances”
Even by the standards of Latin America’s emotive politics, the nomination of Brazil’s convicted former President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to contest for a third term in the October election is sensational. The charismatic leader from the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT) has been serving a 12-year jail sentence since April in a bribery and money-laundering case. Mr. Lula may still have his candidacy overruled by the electoral body. But there are many factors why that uncertainty has not deterred his party from daring to nominate him for the country’s top job. In July, a federal judge with suspected PT sympathies ordered Mr. Lula’s release. Although the step was swiftly overturned, PT cadres were quick to seize upon the momentum generated by the initially morale-raising move. Despite the original July 2017 conviction, they have been fiercely protesting his innocence in a bid to project his candidacy for the coming election. A shot in the arm for the pro-Lula camp was an intervention from influential international quarters questioning the judicial process that led to the conviction. A number of U.S. Congressmen, besides former Presidents of Bolivia and France and a former Spanish Prime Minister, have called for an end to Mr. Lula’s detention. In addition, his poll ratings, at nearly 30%, are extraordinary for someone serving a prison term. Supporters are tapping into the perception of Mr. Lula’s innocence, and portray his persecution as a ploy to prevent him from seeking a third term. Against this backdrop, PT delegates have, over the weekend, determined that, inside or out of prison, Mr. Lula is their best bet to capture the presidency. The party president even insists there is no Plan B, despite the considerable uncertainty over Mr. Lula being allowed to contest. Political opponents have sought to highlight the PT’s lack of a second-line leadership as the reason for it desperately clinging to a compromised Mr. Lula. On the PT’s own narrative, the 2016 impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff was orchestrated by Opposition politicians who were facing criminal investigations. Her successor as President and the current incumbent, the centre-right Michel Temer, has been implicated on several charges of corruption and obstruction of justice. Few politicians have managed to escape the so-called Lava Jato, or Car Wash, investigations into misappropriation of public resources. Against this backdrop, the PT is clearly counting on Mr. Lula’s proven popularity, especially during his tenure from 2003 to 2011 when he became a global icon for his brand of welfare economics. The centre-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party and the centrist Sustainability Network Party have nominated as their presidential candidates Geraldo Alckmin and Marina Silva, respectively. But Brazilians must wait a while longer for confirmation whether Mr. Lula will make it to the final race.
MEANINGS AND WORD :-
- Convicted
Meaning: Declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offence by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law.
Example: “her former boyfriend was convicted of assaulting her”
Synonyms: Sentence
Antonyms: Acquit, Clear
- Sensational
Meaning: Causing great public interest and excitement.
Example: “a sensational murder trial”
Synonyms: Amazing, Starling
Antonyms: Run-of-the-mill
3.Charismatic
Meaning: Used to describe a person who has charisma.
Example: Few were able to resist this charismatic and persuasive leader.
Synonyms: Attractive
- Candidacy
Meaning: The fact or condition of standing for a position or status, especially in an election.
Example: “he’s going to announce his candidacy for the US Senate”
- Deterred
Meaning: Discourage (someone) from doing something by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
Example: “only a health problem would deter him from seeking re-election”
Synonyms: Discourage, Dissuade
Antonyms: Encourage
- Overturned
Meaning: Abolish, invalidate, or reverse (a previous system, decision, situation, etc.).
Example: “the results overturned previous findings”
Synonyms: Cancel, Reverse
Antonyms: Allow, Accept
- Fiercely
Meaning: In a powerful and destructive manner.
Example: “the wind was blowing fiercely”
- A shot in the arm
Meaning: An encouraging stimulus.
Example: “the movie was a real shot in the arm for our crew”
Synonyms: Boost, Stimulus
Antonyms: Blow
- Intervention
Meaning: The action or process of intervening.
Example: “a high degree of state intervention in the economy”
- Detention
Meaning: The action of detaining someone or the state of being detained in official custody.
Example: “the fifteen people arrested were still in police detention”
Synonyms: Confinement, Incarceration
- Tapping into
Meaning: To manage to use something in a way that brings good result.
Example: If only we could tap into all that energy and creativity.
- Perception
Meaning: The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
Example: “the normal limits to human perception”
Synonyms: Appreciation, Recognition
- Backdrop
Meaning: The setting or background for a scene, event, or situation.
Example: “the conference took place against a backdrop of increasing diplomatic activity”
14.Delegates
Meaning: A person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference.
Example: “congress delegates rejected the proposals”
- Clinging to
Meaning: To refuse to stop believing or hoping for something.
Example: She clings to the hope that her husband will come back to her.
16 Impeachment
Meaning: A charge of misconduct made against the holder of a public office.
Example: “the president is facing impeachment over the scandal”
- Orchestrated
Meaning: Plan or coordinate the elements of (a situation) to produce a desired effect, especially surreptitiously.
Example: “the situation has been orchestrated by a tiny minority”
Synonyms: Organize, Arrange
- Incumbent
Meaning: Necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility.
Example: “the government realized that it was incumbent on them to act”
Synonyms: Binding, Obligatory
Antonyms: Optional
- Implicated
Meaning: Show (someone) to be involved in a crime.
Example: “he implicated his government in the murders of three judges”
Synonyms: Incriminate, Compromise
Antonyms: Absolve
- So-called
Meaning: Used to show that something or someone is commonly designated by the name or term specified.
Example: “Western Countries belonging to the so-called Paris club”
Synonyms: Supposed, Alleged
