Lula participates in his ninth September 7th parade as president

Brasilia – President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva participated, on the morning of this Thursday (7), in the civic-military parade of September 7, at the Esplanada dos Ministérios, in Brasília. This is the ninth parade in which Lula participates as president of Brazil and the first of his third term. With the theme Democracy, Sovereignty and Union, the parade was organized by the Social Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (Secom).

In the annex of the Palácio do Planalto, President Lula inspected the troops and then continued in the presidential Rolls-Royce, accompanied by the first lady, the sociologist Rosângela da Silva, and Janja, to the tribune of honor set up between the buildings of the Ministries of Defense and Mines and Energy and Tourism, where there were around 200 guests.

The president arrived at the parade site around 9am and was welcomed by the choir of students from the Colégio Militar de Brasília, who sang the National and Independence anthems. In addition to them, the audience – estimated by Secom at around 50 thousand people – applauded, waved yellow-green flags and sang for Lula. Many still shouted the word democracy over and over again.

Authorities

On the stand, next to the couple Lula and Janja da Silva, sat the vice-president of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin; and wife Lu Alckmin; the president of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), minister Rosa Weber; the president of the Federal Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, as well as several civil and military authorities.

From left to right, ministers Marina Silva and Simone Tebet, the president of the Senate Rodrigo Pacheco, the president of the STF, Rosa Weber, and minister Sônia Guajajara – Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/ Agência Brasil

For the Minister of Defense, José Múcio, this year’s parade reflects Brazil’s recent achievements: “this moment already exists, with this climate of harmony and work. Evidently, when CPMI closes [Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito]when all these things come to an end, when this cloud of suspicion subsides [sobre os atos de vandalismo de 8 de janeiro], it will be great. Now, it’s very good.”

José Múcio also commented on the estimated audience (50 thousand) that attended the parade. “Notice that the parade has slowed down a lot. Some of the schools were removed and they are the ones who bring parents to see their children marching, playing in the band, and they bring the whole family, but the quality of the parade was very good, it was very well planned. In the parade, we played our part”, concluded the minister when congratulating the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom).

The Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, told Brazil Agency who was thrilled. “This parade was wonderful, because it revives the idea of ​​union, democracy and sovereignty, which are the motto. So, I think the celebration was very well organized by the Armed Forces, by the Ministry of Defense, and also with very important symbols in this recovery”.

Parade

Exactly at 9:23 am, President Lula authorized the start of Brazilian Independence Day celebrations to the Military Commander of the Brazilian Army, General Ricardo Piai Carmona.

The president did not speak and watched, for approximately one hour and 20 minutes, the commemoration activities alongside the Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, and the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha.

In front of the tribune, around 2 thousand soldiers from the Armed Forces, the Fire Department, the human pyramid of the Brasília Army Police Battalion, in addition to 550 students from public schools and social projects in the Federal District passed; various motorized vehicles, such as armored vehicles from the Brazilian Navy and Army, motorcycles and military bands.

The parade on land ended with the cavalry of the First Regiment of Independence Dragoons. The aerial parade featured the traditional presentation of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça, from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB),

In the final moment, the authorities present and the public watched the maneuvers of the pilots of seven aircraft, including the F-39 Gripen, looking at the sky. Around 11am, the crowd dispersed.

The parade ended with the traditional presentation of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça – Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/ Agência Brasil

Special participations

The parade on September 7th, in 2023, featured unprecedented participation. The character Zé Gotinha paraded on top of the Federal District Military Fire Brigade (CBMDF) truck and received affection from the public as he received a standing ovation from the occupants of the stands, in the first presentation of the mascot, in a celebration of its kind.

In addition to him, six soldiers from the Brazilian Army, of indigenous origin, greeted President Lula, in different languages ​​spoken by the original people of Brazil. The soldiers shouted slogans, alluding to the Amazon, Brazilian Independence, and the jungle.

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