Dilma Rousseff Quotations

I had great admiration for the election of President Obama. I believe that the U.S. at that moment showed tremendous capacity to show that it is a great nation, and it surprised the world. It may be very difficult to be able to elect a black president in the U.S. - as it was very difficult to elect a woman president in Brazil.

Due to the fact that I experienced personally the situation of a political prisoner, I have an historical commitment to all those that were or are prisoners just because they expressed their views, their public opinion, their own opinions.

We will not play with inflation. We are living a delicate moment. President Obama spoke to me today about the high unemployment affecting the United States. In this crisis period, when the developed nations are not recovering, it's prudent to maintain the established inflation target.

I believe that Brazil was prepared to elect a woman. Why? Because Brazilian women achieved that. I didn't come here by myself, by my own merits. We are a majority here in this country.

I hope the fathers and mothers of little girls will look at them and say 'yes, women can.'

I am not an adolescent, nor a romantic. I analyze objectively.

Any comparison between the military dictatorship and democracy can only come from those who does not value the Brazilian democracy.

We cannot rest while Brazilians are going hungry, while families are living in the streets, while poor children are abandoned to their own fates and while crack and crack dens rule.

You got to be ready for everything in life

The current generation of world leaders -- our generation -- is also being called to face significant challenges concerning peace, collective security and the environment. We have been unable to solve old disputes and to prevent new threats. The use of force is incapable of eliminating the underlying causes of conflict.

Reality has changed, and we changed with it. However, I never changed sides. I have always been on the side of justice, democracy and social equality.

I consider the relationship with the U.S. very important to Brazil. I will try to forge closer ties with the U.S.