8/1: Act shows Lula and STF aligned and Congress divided – 01/08/2024 – Power

The act that this Monday (8) marked one year of coup attacks on the headquarters of the three Powers, in Brasília, showed an aligned speech between the Lula government (PT) and most of the members of the STF (Supreme Federal Court). On the other hand, it highlighted the political split that exists today in Congress.

The President of the Republic and Supreme Court ministers Luís Roberto Barroso —president of the court— and Alexandre de Moraes, who spoke at the event, emphasized the need to punish the coup plotters.

Congress was divided.

The presence of the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), and ministers from the center and right-wing parties contrasted with the absence of Arthur Lira (PP-AL), president of the Chamber, and a good number of the parties’ parliamentarians. who formally support the government — in addition to the Bolsonarist opposition, which was already an announced embezzlement.

The Unshakable Democracy act was held in the Black Hall of the National Congress, one of the scenes of the vandalism on January 8, 2023, and was also attended by governors, mayors and other politicians, in addition to the three commanders of the Armed Forces.

The national anthem was sung by the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes.

Jair Bolsonaro was quoted directly in Lula’s speech, who classified him as a “coup ex-president”.

“All those who financed, planned and executed the coup attempt must be exemplarily punished. There is no forgiveness for those who attack democracy, their country and their own people. Forgiveness would sound like impunity. And impunity, as saved conduit for new terrorist acts”, said Lula in his speech, which closed the ceremony.

Moraes, who is the rapporteur of the investigations into January 8th, again cited as an example to be discarded the failed appeasement policy promoted by England and France in relation to Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, which preceded the outbreak of the Second World War. .

“The strengthening of democracy does not allow us to confuse peace and unity with impunity, appeasement or oblivion”, stated Moraes.

“Everyone, absolutely everyone who cowardly agreed to the breakdown of democracy and the attempt to install a state of exception will be duly investigated, prosecuted and held accountable.”

He also took advantage of the platform to once again defend the regulation of social networks and the fight against what he calls “new extremist digital populism”.

Barroso, in turn, said that January 8th “was not an isolated event, a fortuitous case, a mere accident along the way”, but that, despite everything, institutions won and democracy prevailed.

In his speech, Pacheco announced the removal of the fences located in Praça dos Três Poderes.

One year after the invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the three Powers, more than 1,400 people were charged by the Attorney General’s Office for crimes committed that Sunday — 30 have already been tried and sentenced by the Supreme Court to sentences ranging up to 17 years in prison.

Despite the alignment in the government’s speech and the STF, the event also highlighted the political split that exists in Congress, in which Lula has a large majority on paper, but which is not reflected in practice.

In addition to the announced boycott by the opposition linked to Bolsonaro, there were absences of governors —Romeu Zema (Novo), from Minas, confirmed his presence, but later withdrew— and leaders from the center, including the president of the Chamber, who presented problems as justification of health in the family.

A wing of the parties around Lira estimated that Lula would use the event as a political platform. Therefore, the decision was not to take the PT side, especially in an election year.

Allies of the President of the Chamber also saw Lira’s absence at the event as a way for him to preserve himself with parliamentarians more aligned to the right in the House, who criticized the act.

In addition to the President of the House, several leaders of the Chamber skipped the event, including the leader of União Brasil, Elmar Nascimento (BA), for now Lira’s name to succeed him in the position.

The presence of the military was also one of the highlights of the event.

At a recent lunch, the military had argued that they should not attend the ceremony due to its political nature and argued that they should be represented at the event by Defense Minister José Múcio. They were eventually convinced otherwise.

The commanders did not speak to the press and participated discreetly in the event, applauding the speeches in a measured manner. The military also heard the governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Fátima Bezerra (PT), chant “no amnesty” and President Lula (PT) thank the “loyalist military”.

This Monday’s event featured strong security at the Esplanada dos Ministérios.

Only one woman was arrested by military police for threats and contempt outside the STF, around 4pm.

According to the Military Police, the team was called by witnesses who witnessed the woman attacking the judicial police officers and threatening to contaminate the environment with Anthrax. [agente biológico letal, utilizado em ataques terroristas].