Lula Highlights Federal Housing Achievements at MTST's 30th Anniversary Event

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took center stage at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Movimento dos Trabalhadores Sem Teto (MTST) in Taboão da Serra, São Paulo, on Saturday, where he underscored his administration’s ambitious federal housing agenda and criticized previous administrations. Lula emphasized that Brazil has never had a true housing program until recently, stating that while past limits were about 200,000 homes, his government aims to deliver 3 million contracted houses by the end of this year.

During the event, Lula praised the Minha Casa, Minha Vida program’s revival and highlighted that housing is a constitutional right fundamental to dignity, especially for women. He committed to continuing the delivery of housing keys to women, focusing on their independence and workforce participation. The president also tied housing to larger social issues such as combating feminicide and empowering women.

Lula was joined on stage by First Lady Janja and Guilherme Boulos, Minister-Chief of the General Secretariat of the Presidency and former MTST coordinator. Boulos was vocal in his criticism of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s housing policies, accusing Bolsonaro’s administration of dismantling Minha Casa Minha Vida and favoring real estate speculation and higher-income families. Boulos noted that since Lula’s third term began, over 2 million housing units have been contracted, restoring popular housing initiatives that Bolsonaro’s government had eliminated.

The event was well attended with hundreds of supporters donning MTST apparel. Lula also praised São Paulo election allies including Fernando Haddad, calling him the best education minister Brazil has had, and mentioned Simone Tebet and Marina Silva, underscoring their courage and contributions. Additionally, Lula highlighted environmental gains, noting a drop in deforestation alerts per INPE data, which he wished to share with U.S. President Donald Trump, whom he referred to as a friend despite past tensions.

Lula concluded by urging support for his candidacy launch in mid-August and reinforcing the administration’s commitment to housing as key to social justice and autonomy, particularly for women. First Lady Janja called for collective action against feminicide and mentioned calls to ban the Discord platform after a tragic incident, linking housing policies to broader social protection measures.

This event not only marked MTST’s three decades of advocacy but also set a political tone for upcoming elections, spotlighting Lula’s housing achievements and contrasting them sharply with Bolsonaro-era policies.