Lula da Silva to be re-sworn as president of Latin America’s biggest power after two previous terms – Huge crowd expected
The inauguration of the new president Lula will be absent today of his predecessor, as the Zach Bolsonaro he left Brazil before his term was even up, and under draconian security, because of the threat posed by the outgoing far-right head of state’s most die-hard supporters.
At 77, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva will be sworn in again as president of Latin America’s biggest power, after his two previous terms (2003-2010), marking the return of the Brazilian center-left to Planalto, the presidential palace.
Up to 300,000 people are expected to participate in the eventssome pompous, with ceremonies choreographed to the last millimeter, others more relaxed, with celebrations and concerts in the usually sleepy Brazilian capital with its futuristic architecture.
The approximately fifty foreign delegations include 17 heads of state, among them the presidents of Germany, Portugal, countries in the region, the king of Spain…
The US sent Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, China Vice President Wang Qishan. France will be represented by Olivier Best, Minister responsible for International Trade.
Unprecedented since 1985 and the end of the military dictatorship: the outgoing president Bolsonaro will not hand over the yellow and green presidential scarf to his successor, as tradition would have it.
The far-right president, who has appeared withdrawn and made few public appearances since his narrow defeat in October’s election, which he still has not digested, left Brazil last Friday. He is, according to information from the newspaper Folha de São Paulo, in Florida, at the home of a former martial arts champion.
Cause “chaos”
As his most extreme followers want to prevent Lula from taking power and still continue to camp in front of barracks in various cities to demand that the military proceed with a coup, security measures have been decided to be tightened.
The entire staff of the police headquarters in Brasilia, numbering around 8,000 members, will be mobilized, as well as around a thousand federal police officers, who can be counted on to support other police forces in the country if necessary.
The number of people who will be allowed to attend Lula’s speech in front of the Planalto has been limited to 30,000, while carrying weapons will be prohibited for the vast majority of citizens.
There are also patrols at the capital’s airport, near which a bomb was discovered planted in a tanker by a Bolsonarian who wanted to “create chaos” and “prevent the coming of communism” to power in Brazil.
The ceremonies will begin at 14:20 (local time; at 19:20 Greek time), when Lula and his center-right vice-president, Geraldos Alkmin, will arrive at the cathedral.
The debate about the vehicle Lula will take to Congress will continue “until the last moment”: it has not yet been decided whether he will ride in the traditional Rolls Royce of the Brazilian presidency or in an armored car, for security reasons.
Lula will officially assume the presidency at 15:00 (20:00), after swearing to uphold the Constitution before Congress.
Afterwards, he will head to the Planalto presidential palace, an architectural gem signed by Oscar Niemeyer, to receive the famous presidential scarf, decorated with gold and diamonds.
“Great folk festival”
It is expected to be collected big crowd to hear the speech of the new president in the open space near the Square of the Three Powers, where the Planalto, the Congress and the Supreme Court are located.
The new first lady, Jozangela da Silva, also known as “Zanza”, took over the organization of the festive aspect of the events, the concerts before and after the official ceremonies.
Lula’s wife promises a “great popular celebration”, with music on two stages.
Since last Saturday, thousands of supporters of Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) have been flocking to Brasilia, on planes, buses, cars, and even bicycles.
As for Lula, who completed his government scheme – made up of 37 ministers – in the last few days, he has a “herculean task” in front of him, as his vice president puts it: after four years of rule by Mr. Bolsonaro, he is called to unite the deeply divided Brazil and to improve the state of the economy, which is bogged down. Expectations are high: not only is he called upon to restore order, but to bring tangible results quickly, to promote measures that will improve the quality of life of Brazilian citizens, analysts emphasize.
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
