Lula must defend turning a page on hate in his Christmas talk – 12/23/2023 – Power

President Lula (PT) will defend the turning of the page on hatred and intolerance for Brazilians in his Christmas address, which will air this Sunday (24), the day before the date. The tone of the speech clashes with statements made by the PT member at events, which point in the opposite direction.

The idea of ​​the speech is to send a message of unity and optimism, taking stock of the resumption of public policies and the expectation of an improvement in the economy in 2024.

The speech on radio and TV is expected to last at least five minutes, being the longest of the two previous ones he made in the first year of his third term. According to reports, Lula recorded three versions of videos.

The president’s allies remember that the motto of his first year is reconstruction and unity. Christmas Eve will be the opportunity for the president to defend the overcoming of political disagreements within Brazilian families.

Lula had already asked in many speeches that families put aside ideological fights and come together again, particularly during the end-of-year festivities.

This stance, however, contrasts with other speeches, in which he maintains attacks on his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro (PL), and his supporters, and thus continues to stimulate political polarization.

To an audience of party candidates, on the 17th, Lula said: “You can’t accept provocation or be scared. When the dog barks at us, we don’t lower our heads, we bark at him too.”

Two days earlier, at the inauguration of a highway bypass on the BR-101 in Serra (ES), the PT member raised the tone of his attacks and called the former president a “thug” and “that thing”, in addition to accusing his political opponent of “use the faith of evangelicals”. Lula has also called Bolsonaro “bad people” for leading a government that “likes to fight.”

In order to seek unity, Secom (Secretariat of Communication) launched a campaign at the end of the year with the slogan “we are one people, one country”, which will be reproduced in the PT member’s Christmas message. Among the videos, there is mention of the resumption of the Farmácia Popular program, for example, and the reconciliation of a father and daughter, with different opinions, with the young woman’s entry into university.

The head of the Executive must also mention the attacks of January 8 to reinforce that democracy emerged victorious this year, after the attack on institutions. The government is preparing a major event in the Senate, with presidents of the three Powers and authorities to mark the anniversary of the event in Brasília.

Lula must also follow the tradition of end-of-year speeches to take stock of his actions. It will focus on the resumption and new impetus given to social programs, such as Bolsa Família and Minha Casa Minha Vida.

The president repeated a few times in recent days that the government has already made progress in the first year of the third term, but that the main results of the “seeds that were planted” have not yet emerged, indicating optimism about the future. This tone will be resumed in his speech.

Still in relation to optimism, Lula will mention the prospects for Brazil in relation to the energy transition and ecological issues. The PT government has been boasting that the country has the possibility of becoming a reference in these issues, a Saudi Arabia of green energy.

First lady Rosângela da Silva, known as Janja, will not participate in the speech. In 2020 and 2021, Bolsonaro innovated by including speech by Michelle Bolsonaro, as a way to reduce her rejection. Surveys showed that the then first lady was highly rated by the public.

The two other moments in which Lula spoke on radio and TV in 2023 were on the eve of Labor Day, May 1st, and also before the Independence Day festivities.

The statement on the 7th of September had already been marked by a call for unity and overcoming hatred. “Tomorrow will not be a day of hate or fear, but of unity. The day to remember that Brazil is one. That we dream the same dreams”, stated the president at the time.

At that time, however, there was no direct mention of the events of January 8th. This was because investigations against military personnel were progressing, and the government aimed to rebuild a good relationship with the Armed Forces.