The evolution of Brazil's 'Lula'

Brazil's three-time political bridesmaid appears finally ready to become a bride.

Luiz Inacio (Lula) da Silva, head of the center-left Workers' Party [PT] and runner-up in the 1989, 1994, and 1998 presidential elections, leads a field of four candidates heading into Sunday's poll. Surveys show him close to garnering the 50 percent necessary to avoid a runoff on Oct. 27.

Getting to this point has been a hard climb for the former shoeshine boy from the impoverished northeast. Because Mr. da Silva never finished secondary school, and lacks experience in public administration, many here still question his ability to manage the world's ninth-largest economy.

But should the man known as "Lula" win the top spot in a country that is flirting with economic disaster, observers say it will be a testimony to his dedication, his ability to evolve with the times, and a perceived honesty that many here now see as more important than his politics.

"[Lula] has learned from past failures, as has the Workers' Party," said Kenneth Maxwell, director of the Latin America program at the Council on Foreign Relations and one of the world's most respected experts on Brazil, in an op-ed piece in last week's Financial Times. "The PT has used the decade to modernize its ideology and move towards the political center. For 20 years, party members have been elected to state and local offices. They know that honest administration is more important than strident partisanship."

The experience the PT gained running five states and seven state capitals, including that of São Paulo, the most populous city in the Western Hemisphere, has helped the party and Lula mount their most solid presidential campaign yet. More disciplined and moderate than ever before, Lula has won the support of business owners, church leaders, former political opponents, and even members of a military that jailed him during the country's dictatorship.

Though Brazil currently owes some $240 billion in public debt, gone are Lula's threats to default on the country's international debt and the promises to tax the super-rich. His once scruffy beard is trim, the old uniform of T-shirt and baseball cap has been replaced by tailored suits, and he has even had his teeth done. The former union leader who was once rough and rabid has become a politician so mellow that the Brazilian media have dubbed him "Lula peace and love."

Like any good hippy, Lula has done his best to make sure everyone is happy. He has tried to placate Wall Street by committing himself to fighting inflation, maintaining a budget surplus of 3.75 percent of the country's gross domestic product, and upholding the conditions of the International Monetary Fund loan that was agreed to recently. He even supports free trade as long as wealthier countries remove barriers to their markets.

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