www.upi.com By Bradley Brooks UPI Business Correspondent From the Business & Economics Desk Published 1/23/2003 2:43 PM

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Brazil's new leftist leader will bridge the globalization gap this week, speaking first at the World Social Forum then at the summit which that gathering is meant to protest: the elite World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

On Friday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will become the first-ever leader of the Brazilian government to speak at the World Social Forum, which opened Thursday in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

For many of the 100,000 activists in attendance, Lula, as he is known, and his October election in Latin America's largest country represents the best hope in lessening economic inequalities between the First and Third Worlds.

"After participating for the third time at the World Social Forum (previously as an activist), I'm going to Davos to demonstrate that another world is possible," Lula said in a Thursday statement. "Davos needs to listen to Porto Alegre."

He said there was an need for a new pact that would bridge economic disparity.

"I will take to Davos the message that the rich countries need to distribute the wealth of the planet," he said.

Great words of hope, no question, that most people wouldn't disagree with: who doesn't want to see a more efficient global economy that would make us all more prosperous? The great difficulty, of course, is backing those words with the grueling work that goes into tackling global economic issues: drug patent fights, agricultural subsidies, stalled talks on the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.

It is the bare-knuckled arena of international trade negotiations and Brazil's role of representing the Third World where Lula's appetite for either pragmatically making headway or falling back on ideological differences will be tested.

"One of things that will be important is not only his bridging the globalization gap, but his keeping the discussion of the gap alive," said Margaret Keck, a political science professor at John's Hopkins University, of Lula's role in representing poor countries.

Keck, whose book "The Workers' Party and Democratization in Brazil" was the first major study of Lula and the political party he helped found, says Lula has the potential to be a Third World leader who can act as both a catalyst and a salve as rich and poor countries try to reach mutual understandings.

Yet for others, Lula embodies a Latin America that is veering to the ideological left, where voters have recently elected leaders whose apparent opposition to American-style capitalism gives fright to some Bush administration officials and leaders on Capitol Hill.

It was just at last year's World Social Forum that then presidential-candidate Lula told reporters, "I'll fight with all my power to stop the FTAA in Brazil."

Others point to his friendliness with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban leader Fidel Castro as evidence that Lula is going to lead Latin America in the wrong direction.

That worried a few Republican congressmen enough that they sent a letter to President Bush before Lula's October election, expressing concerns about the threat of having a wild-eyed leftist running Latin America's largest economy.

Keck rejects these arguments, saying that it is simply too soon to tell if Latin America really has aggressively gone to the left, or if the left in Latin America has simply wised up and come more to the center, where it can win elections.

"Despite all the connections that get made between Lula and Castro and Chavez, the fact is he is very different from them, his history is extremely different from theirs," Keck said.

"It is important to have somebody out there as an international spokesman for bridging the globalization gap, someone who has legitimacy and who doesn't raise the same kinds of knee-jerk ..'well, he was a revolutionary and radical populist' .. response."

Lumping Lula in with Chavez or Castro is inaccurate at best, and, truth be told, a wholly simplistic vision of a region comprised of extremely different countries, but that for short-hand purposes becomes "Latin America" in the United States.

Lula himself has disavowed any connection with the political beliefs of Chavez or Castro, repeatedly saying he has no intention of leading Brazil to economic self-destruction, like Chavez.

The fact that Lula received more votes than any other democratically elected leader in the history of the world -- with the exception of Ronald Reagan's 1984 election -- should be evidence enough that he is no Castro.

But the proof, clearly, will be in the pudding, and whether Lula is truly intent on taking his country out of its miserable economic state will be seen in how he addresses his dualistic concern: uplifting the poor by bringing more economic justice to the world.

Marta Lagos, the director of Latinobarometro, a Santiago, Chile-based group that tracks public opinion in Latin America, told United Press International in November that the notion that the region is swinging to the left can't be viewed through the same prism as it was during the Cold War years.

"There is no leftist revolution before us, nor is there a military regression," Lagos said. "The left and right as they were in the past is gone. The alternatives are not a socialist state versus capitalism. Today, the market economy has no competitor."

Just how Lula intends to make Brazil competitive in the global economy -- and what sort of example he will provide for the rest of the developing world -- is yet to be seen.

But for Keck, Lula's past experience of leading union negotiations against Brazil's military regime makes him a savvy spokesman ready to take to the world stage.

"Lula and the Workers' Party have a lot more experience in governing than it used to," Keck said. "That has made most people in the party aware of the costs of radicalizing expectations too much, too quickly."

"It has given people more realistic notions of what is possible."

santafenewmexican.com

By ALAN CLENDENNING | Associated Press 01/23/2003 Italian activist Vittorio Agnoletto speaks with Italian delegates before the opening of the 3rd World Social Forum in Brazil. The forum is an annual protest against the World Economic Forum held simultaneously in Davos, Switzerland. AP | Giuseppe Bizzarri ORTO ALEGRE, Brazil —As thousands of anti-globalization activists lounged near bright red banners espousing socialism, Chilean teacher Claudio Alfaro lashed out at U.S. President George W. Bush. Alfaro said Bush personifies the darkest fears of the activists flocking to Brazil for the third annual World Social Forum: Capitalism favoring huge corporations; war with Iraq to guarantee developed countries get the oil they need. "He's as dangerous as Hitler, and could lead us to worldwide destruction," said Alfaro, a teacher who works with the children of poor vineyard workers. The six-day forum begins Thursday in this far southern city, and as many as 100,000 activists will attend the protest against the World Economic Forum taking place simultaneously at a luxury Swiss ski resort. Tens of thousands are expected to officially open the social forum with a march against militancy and a U.S.-led war. In between protests, participants will hold extensive talks on alternatives to tame the excesses of global capitalism. Italian biologist Umberto Pizzolato readily acknowledged the march would do little to deter a U.S. military strike, but said it is still important. He toted his bicycle from Italy to Porto Alegre and hoped to ride it during the march to send a message on behalf of his activist Italian cycling group. "Less oil, more bicycles, less war," said Pizzloato, 36. "I'm sure I cannot stop the war, I'm not stupid. But if you use a car, your country has to buy oil. And with less oil, there would be fewer conflicts." Alfaro, the Chilean teacher, traveled with 16 friends who set up tents with at least 6,000 other activists near the site where Brazil's new president will become the first government leader to personally address the forum. The forum is now in its third year, but the appearance of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva — Brazil's first elected leftist leader — is in a sense revolutionary, because government officials were previously excluded. Silva will deliver his speech Friday, and embattled Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was expected to attend on Sunday. After Silva speaks, he will fly to Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the economic forum, which is expected to attract 2,000 business and government leaders. The landslide election of Silva, a former radical union leader, in October was seen as a rejection of the free-market policies of his Social Democrat predecessor Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Social Forum participants say their opposition to American-style capitalism should strike a responsive chord. The summit follows a year of unprecedented business scandals involving multinational corporations. Participants will crowd into a soccer stadium, a string of warehouses alongside the muddy Rio Guaiba and at Porto Alegre's Catholic University for hundreds of panel discussions, debates and seminars on themes ranging from corporate misdeeds to the Third World's foreign debt. They can also dance at a concert by Brazilian pop superstar Jorge Ben Jor, attend Japanese Noh theater presentations or even see a drag queen show. Prominent activists attending include actor Danny Glover, anarchist and linguistics professor Noam Chomsky, and Aleida Guevara, the daughter of legendary guerrilla leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara. French anti-globalization activist Jose Bove said Wednesday he had no plans to create disruption as he did at the first forum in 2001 — when he led the invasion and occupation of a farm owned by U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto. Brazilian authorities made him leave the country. Bove, a farmer who became famous in 1999 when he and nine others used farm equipment to dismantle a French McDonald's under construction, said there is no need for such protests now that Silva is in power. "Things have changed in Brazil," he said. At the campsite where Alfaro was staying, banner after banner denounced Bush for trying to incite a war. "He's just not capable of seeing the consequences for the world with what he's doing," Alfaro said as friends sipped beer and grilled beef over a makeshift grill. Besides destruction, a war could have dire consequences for the world economy — something the Economic Forum participants in Switzerland should recognize, said Rainer Rilling, a German social sciences professor with the Berlin-based Rosa Luxembourg Foundation. "We hope a war can still be avoided," he said. Forum organizers said the 2004 event will be held in New Delhi, India. The forum will return to Porto Alegre in 2005.

santafenewmexican.com

By ALAN CLENDENNING | Associated Press 01/23/2003 Italian activist Vittorio Agnoletto speaks with Italian delegates before the opening of the 3rd World Social Forum in Brazil. The forum is an annual protest against the World Economic Forum held simultaneously in Davos, Switzerland. AP | Giuseppe Bizzarri ORTO ALEGRE, Brazil —As thousands of anti-globalization activists lounged near bright red banners espousing socialism, Chilean teacher Claudio Alfaro lashed out at U.S. President George W. Bush. Alfaro said Bush personifies the darkest fears of the activists flocking to Brazil for the third annual World Social Forum: Capitalism favoring huge corporations; war with Iraq to guarantee developed countries get the oil they need. "He's as dangerous as Hitler, and could lead us to worldwide destruction," said Alfaro, a teacher who works with the children of poor vineyard workers. The six-day forum begins Thursday in this far southern city, and as many as 100,000 activists will attend the protest against the World Economic Forum taking place simultaneously at a luxury Swiss ski resort. Tens of thousands are expected to officially open the social forum with a march against militancy and a U.S.-led war. In between protests, participants will hold extensive talks on alternatives to tame the excesses of global capitalism. Italian biologist Umberto Pizzolato readily acknowledged the march would do little to deter a U.S. military strike, but said it is still important. He toted his bicycle from Italy to Porto Alegre and hoped to ride it during the march to send a message on behalf of his activist Italian cycling group. "Less oil, more bicycles, less war," said Pizzloato, 36. "I'm sure I cannot stop the war, I'm not stupid. But if you use a car, your country has to buy oil. And with less oil, there would be fewer conflicts." Alfaro, the Chilean teacher, traveled with 16 friends who set up tents with at least 6,000 other activists near the site where Brazil's new president will become the first government leader to personally address the forum. The forum is now in its third year, but the appearance of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva — Brazil's first elected leftist leader — is in a sense revolutionary, because government officials were previously excluded. Silva will deliver his speech Friday, and embattled Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was expected to attend on Sunday. After Silva speaks, he will fly to Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the economic forum, which is expected to attract 2,000 business and government leaders. The landslide election of Silva, a former radical union leader, in October was seen as a rejection of the free-market policies of his Social Democrat predecessor Fernando Henrique Cardoso. Social Forum participants say their opposition to American-style capitalism should strike a responsive chord. The summit follows a year of unprecedented business scandals involving multinational corporations. Participants will crowd into a soccer stadium, a string of warehouses alongside the muddy Rio Guaiba and at Porto Alegre's Catholic University for hundreds of panel discussions, debates and seminars on themes ranging from corporate misdeeds to the Third World's foreign debt. They can also dance at a concert by Brazilian pop superstar Jorge Ben Jor, attend Japanese Noh theater presentations or even see a drag queen show. Prominent activists attending include actor Danny Glover, anarchist and linguistics professor Noam Chomsky, and Aleida Guevara, the daughter of legendary guerrilla leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara. French anti-globalization activist Jose Bove said Wednesday he had no plans to create disruption as he did at the first forum in 2001 — when he led the invasion and occupation of a farm owned by U.S. agribusiness giant Monsanto. Brazilian authorities made him leave the country. Bove, a farmer who became famous in 1999 when he and nine others used farm equipment to dismantle a French McDonald's under construction, said there is no need for such protests now that Silva is in power. "Things have changed in Brazil," he said. At the campsite where Alfaro was staying, banner after banner denounced Bush for trying to incite a war. "He's just not capable of seeing the consequences for the world with what he's doing," Alfaro said as friends sipped beer and grilled beef over a makeshift grill. Besides destruction, a war could have dire consequences for the world economy — something the Economic Forum participants in Switzerland should recognize, said Rainer Rilling, a German social sciences professor with the Berlin-based Rosa Luxembourg Foundation. "We hope a war can still be avoided," he said. Forum organizers said the 2004 event will be held in New Delhi, India. The forum will return to Porto Alegre in 2005.

100,000 descend on Brazil to debate US-style capitalism

PORTO ALEGRE (Brazil) - Globalisation foes have flocked to Brazil for the World Social Forum (WSF), the third annual protest against the World Economic Forum (WEF) held simultaneously at a Swiss ski resort.

Pitching her tent at the World Social Forum in Brazil yesterday, Argentinian journalist Florencia Trincheri is one of those taking part in the yearly protest against the World Economic Forum. -- AP

The six-day event, expected to draw as many as 100,000 activists from countries like Egypt, India and the United States, began yesterday in the far southern city of Porto Alegre.

The forum features the new Brazilian President, Mr Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - the country's first elected leftist leader who will become the first government leader today to address the forum personally. In the past, government officials had been excluded.

Mr da Silva will then fly to Davos, Switzerland, to take part in the WEF.

A former radical union leader, his landslide victory in the October polls was seen as a rejection of the free-market policies of his predecessor, Mr Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

WSF delegates say their opposition to unfettered American-style capitalism should strike a responsive chord this time, after a year of unprecedented business scandals involving multi-national corporations, many of them based in the US.

Economist Mark Weisbrot, who co-directs the Centre for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, DC, says: 'Washington always preaches to the developing world about eliminating corruption and the rule of law.

'Here you see the United States has experienced corruption that is worse than anything in developing countries.'

Participants will crowd into a soccer stadium and Porto Alegre's Catholic University for hundreds of panel discussions, debates and seminars on themes ranging from corporate misdeeds to the Third World's foreign debt.

They can also dance at a concert by Brazilian pop star Jorge Ben Jor and attend Japanese Noh theatre presentations.

Prominent activists attending the forum include actor Danny Glover, anarchist and linguistics professor Noam Chomsky, and Ms Aleida Guevara, the daughter of legendary guerilla leader Ernesto 'Che' Guevara.

Activists at the forum also hope to draw media attention to their opposition to a possible US-led war against Iraq. --AP

www.upi.com By Carmen Gentile UPI Latin America Correspondent From the International Desk Published 1/23/2003 6:03 PM

SAO PAULO, Brazil, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Brazil's president -- scheduled to attend both the World Social and Economic forums -- is to plead with world leaders on both opening days to see "that another world is possible," referring to his desire to close the gap between nations' rich and poor and an effort to eradicate hunger at home.

He will take that message to both forums, which he will attend during their respective six-day runs.

"It is inexcusable that at the beginning of the millennium there are still millions of human beings that don't have enough to eat," Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Thursday, a day before he is scheduled to address an estimated 100,000 participants at the World Social Forum.

Though this year's event marks the third time anti-globalization delegates have will have met in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, Lula would be the first world leader to address the event.

Later this week, the Brazilian leader is also scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

According to Brazilian officials, Lula is expected to make the same address to both groups, emphasizing the need for world leaders to listen to counterpoints to globalization made by Porto Alegre participants, while pushing his message that "rich countries need to distribute the income across the planet."

"After participating for the third time in the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, I am going to Davos to show that another world is possible," he said. "In the same manner that a new social contract is necessary in Brazil, we need a world pact that diminishes the gap between rich countries and poor countries."

Lula -- a leftist who defeated his predecessor's moderate, handpicked successor -- has been steadily pushing Brazilian social reforms efforts, such as Zero Hunger, since his Jan. 1 inauguration.

The initiative was the first edict acted on by the fledging Lula administration and has been criticized by some officials -- even members of his own Workers' Party -- for being too large in scale, ill-managed and at too great a price.

It has, however, received international praise and contributions from the Inter-American Development Bank to the tune of $12 billion and a promise by the United States of between $6 billion to $10 billion over the next three years.

The latter could fall into jeopardy if Brazil doesn't get on board the U.S.-led effort to create a hemispheric free trade bloc known as Free Trade of the Americas.

Brazilian and U.S. officials are expected to discuss aspects of the proposed trade bloc to assess whether two of the hemisphere's leading economies can set the stage for further talks on the FTAA.

Entering a critical phase of negotiations later this year, the FTAA would attempt to eliminate barriers to trade and investment among 34 countries in the Western Hemisphere by 2005.

Since well before his October landslide victory, Lula has ardently opposed the FTAA, calling it "annexation politics" and has sworn that Brazil "won't be enclosed" by it.

He has called for Brazil to take a more aggressive stance in the upcoming negotiations and has said that the country would "not accept American impositions on trade."

Lula's address to both forums will reportedly touch on this notion, though maintain a tone of ambiguity in not directing a message specifically to the United States, which he hopes would drop trade barriers and tariffs on certain Brazilian goods before the Latin American nation embraces membership in the FTAA.

"I think that Brazil, today, can carry a new message for the world about the process of globalization and, on the plane of social exclusion, its consequences, which are very powerful in many developing countries," said Antonio Palocci, Brazil's minister of finance and Lula's economic confidant.