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Both have lower middle class backgrounds. Chavez was educated and acquired his leftist political philosophy in the military. Da Silva was a steel worker. From there they diverge on some things--Chavez is out to bust corporate power, especially that of the multinationals, and has successfully battled entities like Exxon Mobil, and has utter contempt for the Bushites. Da Silva is more likely to make deals with corporate powers, and even with Bushites. But they do seem to have some solid common ground, and a close friendship as well.
Their common ground is
1. Belief in unified political and economic action to promote the sovereignty of Latin American countries, and social justice goals. They both promote cooperation and integration.
2. Devotion to democracy.
3. Devotion to the common good.
Thus, you have da Silva countering the lie that Chavez is some sort of "dictator." ("They can invent all sorts of reasons to criticize Chavez--but not on democracy!" --Lula da Silva.) He has gone out of his way to defend Chavez on many occasions.
You have them acting in concert to fend off Bushite plots--such as the Bushite-instigated coup plot against Evo Morales in Bolivia, recently. You have them acting together not only to support Bolivia's democracy but also to help Morales out in other ways--for instance, their proposal to build a road across the continent, from Brazil's Atlantic coast, to the Pacific, through Bolivia, which will make Bolivia a major trade route.
You have their shared perception that the U.S. poses a threat to South America--for instance, da Silva recently said the the U.S. reconstitution of the 4th Fleet in the Caribbean is a threat to Brazil's oil reserves in the Altanltic. (It is clearly a threat to Venezuela, whose major reserves border the Caribbean, and to the Chavez government.)
You have their mutual desire for a common South American military defense--an idea proposed by Brazil and da Silva in the context of the new South American "common market"--UNASUR.
And you have any number of joint economic projects, which their regular meetings with each other are mostly about.
This cooperative spirit is wonderful to behold in South America. It's what should have happened more than a century ago, when Chavez's hero, Simon Bolivar, led the revolution against colonial Spain. U.S. domination, bloody interference and "divide and conquer" tactics, in collusion with local rich/fascist elites, prevented it, all this time. I wasn't sure about Lula da Silva, prior to circa 2006. Was he playing off Chavez vs. Bush, to benefit Brazil and his own fortunes? Would he betray Chavez, and help the evildoers undermine him and destroy democracy in Venezuela? Wwas he primarily interested in personal power, as the president of the biggest economy in South America? Etc. But I've come to the conclusion that he is a genuine friend and ally of Chavez and the other Bolivarians, and has heartfelt social justice goals.
South America's problem for so long has been "every country for itself." Divided, they are weak, exploitable and victim to corruption and fascist horrors. Together they are strong, and only together can social justice be achieved. Also, paradoxically, only together can they achieve sovereignty--the assertion of national interests and the will of the people in each country, versus powerful multinationals and the U.S. They need collective clout to deal with those who would exploit their people and their resources, and install bad governments. They have all certainly demonstrated collective clout lately, with Lula da Silva a major player in those efforts. He, too, has a vicious rightwing nipping at his heels, and I think it has taken some courage for him to see beyond Brazil's borders, and risk his own political fortunes, for the good of all--which, ultimately, is Brazil's good as well.
South America is blest with many such visionary leaders right now. It is a major turning point in history for them. Some of our people must be just plain mystified by news items like this--if they ever hear about it, by chance--of warm, friendly, productive relations between Lula da Silva and that "tyrant-dictator-terrorist-anti-Christ" Chavez, "friend of Fidel Castro." They have been completely disinformed and brainwashed by our corpo/fascist media.
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