The commemorations of the Bicentennial of Independence in Brasília should have the participation of the presidents of Portugal, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. According to the Itamaraty, the governments of the three countries confirmed the trip of their representatives to the 7th of September.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the heads of state of all former Portuguese colonies were invited, but the rulers of Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mozambique and East Timor have not confirmed their presence so far.
The invitation was given as part of the celebrations of 200 years of Independence. In recent statements, President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) has indicated that he plans to turn part of the festivities into acts of his political group — less than a month away from the first round of the presidential elections.
The main event of the holiday will be a civic-military parade on the Esplanade of Ministries, which foreign representatives must attend. The organization is practically closed: there will be more than 5,700 people parading on foot, in vehicles or on horseback.
At the request of Palácio do Planalto, ruralists who support Bolsonaro must send 28 tractors to participate in the procession, in the official exhibition, representing the strength of agribusiness – a segment close to Bolsonaro.
One of the guests who have already confirmed their participation, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, was at the center of a recent controversy with the Brazilian leader. In early July, Bolsonaro canceled a meeting with the European after being irritated that Rebelo had scheduled a meeting with former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the president’s main opponent in the elections.
Guinea-Bissau leader Umaro Sissoco Embaló was also recently in Brazil. An ally and admirer of the Brazilian president, who has already called him the “Bolsonaro of Africa”, he went to Brasília in August of last year, as a guest of honor for the military festivities of the Soldier’s Day.
Embaló’s trip to Brazil drew attention for the lack of concrete announcements and for a bilateral agenda of little substance. At the time, the federal government even sent an FAB (Brazilian Air Force) plane to pick him up in Guinea-Bissau — not counting this air transfer, more than R$ 300,000 were spent.
Asked about this year’s displacements, the Itamaraty said that “there was no formal request from the countries invited for official transport by the FAB”. In addition to Rebelo de Sousa and Embaló, Cape Verdean José Maria Neves has confirmed his presence so far. At the end of 2021, when he was elected, he gave an interview to Sheet with praise for Lula.
The Bolsonaro government is frequently criticized for having given little emphasis in its foreign policy to African countries. The administration is still marked by friction with Angola in the face of a split in the Universal Church in the country – local religious rebelled, accused Brazilian missionaries of financial crimes and took control of temples.
Angola and East Timor had recent elections. This Monday (29), Luanda confirmed the re-election of João Lourenço; in April, José Ramos-Horta was reappointed to the Timorese Presidency.
Foreign leaders are expected to be in Brasilia on a day with pro-government demonstrations. Bolsonaro has already called on supporters to take to the streets “for the last time” on the Independence Bicentennial holiday.
Traditionally, there is no speech by authorities in the September 7 parade, but, as Bolsonarist acts are expected, the expectation among allies is that the president will speak in a sound car after the parade. Afterwards, he must travel to Rio de Janeiro.
In the capital of Rio de Janeiro, there will be another event favorable to the government in Copacabana, where the Navy and Air Force are expected to perform.
Another event that is part of the Bicentennial celebrations in Brasília is the exhibition, at Itamaraty, of the heart of Dom Pedro 1º. The agency left Portugal for the first time in 187 years at the request of the Brazilian government; at the reception in the Planalto last week, he was treated with the honors of a head of state.
