Former President of Brazil - Dilma Rousseff

Can anyone clean up Brazilian politics? HARDtalk’s Shaun Ley speaks to former Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff. Brazil was one of the success stories of the early 21st century – under her mentor, President Lula da Silva, rapid economic growth was combined with radical redistribution of money to the poor. Dilma Rousseff, who was tortured under the military dictatorship, succeeded him, but under her presidency the economy faltered. In 2016 she was forced from office accused of fiddling the figures to boost her chances of re-election. She’s in London drumming up support for Lula’s bid to be re-elected President – only he’s currently in a prison cell in Brazil having been convicted of corruption. Can he stage a political comeback?

(Photo: Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff speaks to supporters at the Planalto presidential palace, 2016. Credit: Igo Estrela/Getty Images)