In October 2002, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva made history when he became Latin America's first democratically-elected socialist leader since Salvador Allende. On the back of a hard-fought twenty-year struggle for social transformation, Lula and his Workers Party won a euphoric victory with 62 percent of the popular vote. This book examines the origins and electoral history of the Workers Party (known by its Portuguese initials, the PT), outlining the key politicians behind it and the riveting story of their four successive bids for power. It also charts Lula's extraordinary life story: his rise from poverty, his decades of struggle in the country's union movement, and his increasing political influence and eventual victory. Published on the first anniversary of Lula's taking office (and including an exclusive interview with the President for this book), the authors explore how the new government is handling current crises at home and elsewhere in Latin America -- from its ambitious Zero Hunger and other reform programs, to the neoliberal collapse in Argentina and political instability in Venezuela -- and how it is managing potentially difficult relations with the United States, the IMF, and the World Bank. Book jacket.

Sue Branford has reported on Brazil and Latin America for the BBC, Financial Times, The Economist, and the Observer for three decades Bernardo Kucinski is professor of journalism at the University of Sao Paulo, and now serves as an advisor in President Lula's Social Communications Department. He was the Guardian correspondent in Brazil for many years, and is the author of several books