Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced on Monday that his government will launch in January the plan for the acceleration of economic growth when he was inaugurated in his second term in the federal capital of Brasilia.

The plan, which includes a series of economic, political and regulatory measures, aims to allow the country to grow at a faster pace than during the past years. In 2006, Brazil's GDP rose at estimated 2 percent.

In his inauguration speech, President Lula said the reduction of the country's social inequities will continue to be the top priority of his second mandate, which will expire on Jan. 1, 2011.

"The leading compromise of this government is with the poor," he said at the inauguration ceremony held at the Brazilian Congress.

"Our government never was populist. It is and will continue to be a popular government, with a social compromise, " he said.

President Lula also announced that the improvement of the public education system will be another priority of his second term. The recently created fund for the investment in education ( FUNDEB) will allow public school teachers to have better wages, he added.

In his speech, the president summed up the achievements of his first mandate. He singled out the creation of the Bolsa Familia program, a welfare program that benefits over 11 million families.

On the foreign relations front, President Lula stressed that the country's priority will continue to be the Mercosul, the South American Common Market.

In spite of the constant rain, the presidential ceremony was held as scheduled to launch his second term as President of the Republic of Brazil.

Lula and his wife Marisa Leticia joined the presidential motorcade that left the Cathedral of Brasilia at 3:55 p.m. local time (1855 GMT). On the ceremony's traditional 1953 Rolls Royce, the couple waved at the 10,000 people crowd, according to figures released by local Police. About 300 coaches brought citizens from at least five different Brazilian states to the event.

Lula and re-elected Vice President Jose Alencar, also accompanied by his wife Mariza Gomes, followed up to the National Congress, where they made their speech stating commitment to Federal Constitution. Leaders of the Federal Senate and the House of Representatives declared Lula and Alencar president and vice president, respectively.

Lula, of the Workers' Party (PT), was re-elected on Oct. 29 with over 58 million votes, 60.8 percent of the valid votes, against 39.2 percent for his opponent former Sao Paulo state's Governor Geraldo Alckmin, of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB).

For his second term, the president announced that he does not plan to make any changes in the Ministries, as it usually happens when a president takes office.

Source: Xinhua