Speech by Dilma Rousseff in Recife, October 22, 2014, four days before the second round of presidential elections

I now want to say a few things. They are simple things I want to tell you first: I mean I'm very happy to be here in Pernambuco and I mean this, I love you, I love you. I'm facing perhaps the most fierce, the most disputed presidential election, but I love you. That's the first thing I wanted to talk. The second thing is that I've never seen in my life an act so beautiful, so cheerful, so affectionate like that. The third thing is that I'm here in the state of conscious men and women, fighters, which has a political history behind, you represent a lot in Brazil.

Do you have a story, a libertarian history, a history of achievements, but you also know well, prejudice and inequality, and everything in centuries of exploitation and oppression condemned this part of Brazil, but also caused the whole territory of that country. But Pernambuco is a state of fighting men and women and we are very proud to have had one as president Lula quality Northeastern, respected around the world.

I mean that in 2003 began a story in this country, a story of our struggle, a story of the struggle of these people because they say, rest assured that we could be a more equal country, more supportive and where the Brazilian people had not only voice, but had above all time, had recognized rights. The right to employment, the right to a decent wage, the worker's right to put his son in college and see it turn doctor, the right, as the boy here told me just now, thank you for Pronatec.

Let us remember here that the toucans were those that banned the construction of technical schools in this country, let's remember, remember is good, remember that in eight years they have made 11 technical schools. Lula and I together made 422 and not put in one place as they always did. We spread throughout Brazil. Let's remember that they managed to beat the record of unemployment in this country in 2001 and 2002 when they handed over the government to Lula, but they delivered a cursed legacy 11 million and 400 thousand people, Brazilians unemployed. We do not, we spread employment, since 2003 we have created 21 million jobs and only in my government we will already reach 5.7 million this month.

But there's one thing we pride ourselves and they also have never done, we are proud of Pernambuco and the entire Northeast development. Pernambuco and the Northeast were the state and the country's fastest growing region, which has generated more jobs proportionally, why? Because it was to catch up the government of toucans. I want to tell you that the other thing that I have immense pride, it is the partnership that built here in Pernambuco an immense amount of work opportunities, infrastructure, Minha Casa Minha Vida, More Doctors.

I'm very proud of Prouni and Fies. Today we've been there in Goiana, visiting the unit of Fiat, a worker told me, "President, I want to thank you because my daughter, my daughter is a scientist." I said, "As your daughter is a scientist?". She told me, 'Yes, President, she was studying in Germany under the Science Without Borders ". Worker child turns doctor in this country. And we are having a fundamental experience. The Brazil left Map of Hunger, after discovering centuries.

I'm here wanting to thank you for this wonderful act, I'm talking about because my heart is full of gratitude and joy, so that the voice is coming out because she would not leave. And I want to tell you that I'm sure we still have many things to do in this country, we get only the change, the change has yet to walk a lot. We have to improve the education, safety, health, do more work infrastructure.

Now I am aware that we are on track, the track is the one who wants to see the Brazilian people to grow, not only wants to enrich a few, some interested in making money with income. Toucans always wanted to plant difficulties to collect interest, we know, they plant to harvest inflation interest they plant any difficulty, now today this country no longer kneels before the IMF. When they ruled, Brazil was liable, on his knees before the IMF, which decided how much we spent on sanitation, which decided our life, we were tutored.

Today this country is a net creditor, it is the lender to the International Monetary Fund, no supervision this country. This country went from being the 13th economy in the world to turn the 7th and respected in the world economy. For this Pernambuco and the Northeast gave their contribution here has created one of the largest consumer markets in Brazil. Here comes because companies have a large market that attracts, creating jobs, generating opportunity, causing the people grow.

I mean I have another request, I ask you not to leave this country to go back, I beg you not to let the setback take care of Brazil, I pray for you, come along on the 26th on Sunday, let's rule in defeat for toucans, will not let pain of prey toucan, just flying around. We defeat the toucans, we will demonstrate that this country has spine, have women and men with courage and faith. A kiss on the heart.

Now I want to pay homage, a tribute to the people and State of Pernambuco. The State of Pernambuco honor me standing next to me. A kiss.
