The leader spoke to an audience of almost four thousand on Thursday night in the Gigantinho gymnasium.

Rousseff said that "Porto Alegre has become a reference point" for those who "have not succumbed to single mindedness" and who didn’t believe in "the end of the story". In this way, she remembered the start of the World Social Forum in 2001.

The president explained that the consequences of the capitalist crisis in the "developed world" had been "disastrous". Additionally, she criticised the economic austerity measures adopted in Europe as leading to social inequalities and massive youth unemployment.

She also confirmed that in this situation of crisis, Brazil and parts of Latin America "grow whilst other countries are stagnant".

Rousseff confirmed that the Brazilian Government would defend a development that included three spheres in the United Nations Conference Rio + 20: economy, society and environment.

However, the President didn’t mention the People’s Summit, which will be parallel to the Conference on Sustainable Development, and will take place in Rio de Janeiro in June. This alternative encounter will criticise the proposal of "green economy" for not questioning the models of production and capitalist consumerism.

These criticisms will also be presented about the so-called "carbon market", as a policy defended by Rio + 20.

Rousseff was received with applause by the great majority of those present in the activity called "Dialogue between civil society and the Government". However, she could not avoid the criticisms that circulated the Social Forum.

Part of the public questioned the Brazilian environmental policy with the shout of "Veta Dilma". The reference was to the project of a law which is being discussed in Brazil about changes in the Forest Code. (PÚLSAR)