October 5, 2018

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Dear Brother Fernando Haddad:

On behalf of the more than one million active and retired members of the International Union, UAW, I am writing to express our total support of your candidacy for the Presidency of Brazil. We believe you, the Workers’ Party, and your allies are key to restoring democratic principles and labor rights in Brazil and to build on initiatives started by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) which brought equality and social justice to workers and people living in poverty for more than twelve years.

The judicial process in Lula’s case has been wrought with politics designed to keep him off the ballot in the 2018 presidential elections. Our union has denounced this attack on Brazilian democracy to top U.S. officials and International Organizations.

We will continue to raise this issue.

A stable democracy means a stable economy especially for Brazil’s auto industry. The UAW and many of the metalworkers’ unions in Brazil represent members at some of the same major automotive multinational companies. Therefore, we are concerned that destabilization in Brazil may have an economic ripple effect throughout the Americas.

Brazil has an important role in the Americas and in the world. We are proud to stand with you and the working people of Brazil who are fighting for a better country to win equality and social and economic justice for all men and women.

Brother Haddad, you can count on our union to keep the vision of President Lula alive! We look forward to working together in the future to achieve justice and fairness for all workers.

In solidarity,

Gary Jones
President
International Union, UAW

 

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