Excerpts: Lula's victory statements

Lula's victory marks a historic shift to the left for Brazil

Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked his supporters on 28 October after his opponent in the run-off presidential election, Jose Serra, conceded defeat. Following are excerpts from his statement to the media in Sao Paulo.

Let me tell you that this election result forces me to assert that although I have been elected for my party and for my allies, Communist Party of Brazil, Liberal Party, Brazilian Communist Party and National Mobilization Party as of 1 January I will be the president of 175 million Brazilians.

I only hope the market will act towards Brazil with the same seriousness with which we shall behave

I want to tell you that the responsibility of governing is very big.

My team and I will govern this country, but I wouldn't be exaggerating if I told you that only the president, his vice president, and his team will be not be enough to govern Brazil with all the problems it has.

Therefore we will summon the whole of Brazilian society, all the good-willed men and women of this country, businessmen, union leaders, intellectuals, rural workers - in all, everyone to help us build a more just and brotherly nation.

Soon after his election victory was confirmed, Lula also gave an interview to Brazil's Globo TV. Following are excerpts from that interview.

I believe calm will prevail in the market from now on. Everyone knows it is not normal for the dollar to be worth 4 reals. The market should also be aware that Brazilians have to eat three times a day and that there are many people who are hungry.

Hope has defeated fear... the Brazilian people voted without fear of being happy

Therefore, we shall reconcile our relations with the market and with the Brazilian people. We shall rebuild the productive capacity of this country and we shall make Brazil a productive country again.

We shall comply with obligations, as outlined in the letter we issued to the Brazilian people in June. We shall keep in touch with all segments of society. I only hope the market will act towards Brazil with the same seriousness with which we shall behave.

Finally, I want to address the international community. I think Brazil can play an extraordinary role in the American continent to effectively build a world of peace where countries can attain economic growth and social improvement for all their peoples. As president of Brazil, I will do whatever is possible to make peace a definite conquest of our continent.

Let me tell you that Brazil is changing in peace. What is more important, hope has defeated fear. Let me tell you that the Brazilian people voted without fear of being happy.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.