Lula starts positive agenda one month after acts of vandalism in Brasilia

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) started this Monday (6th) a series of trips he intends to make in Brazil. The objective is to create a positive agenda through the resumption of works and the launch of government programs. The movement is part of a strategy by the Planalto Palace to “turn the page” a month after the acts of vandalism in Brasília.

Lula landed in the city of Rio de Janeiro, where he carried out an agenda focused on health. He announced the release of BRL 600 million to states and municipalities in an effort to reduce the queue of surgeries, exams and consultations in the Unified Health System (SUS). The amount was made possible through the PEC fura-teto, which increased the budget for social programs by R$ 168 billion.

In addition, the president participated in the inauguration of ophthalmology and diagnosis units at the Super Centro Carioca de Saúde, in Benfica, in the capital of Rio de Janeiro. The president was accompanied by the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes (PSD), and governor Claudio Castro (PL). In the speech, Lula stated that he will recover the shipbuilding industry in the country.

“I want to say that Petrobras will return to work here in Rio de Janeiro. The BNDES will return to investing in the productive sector. We will return to building ships in the shipyards here in Rio de Janeiro. I tell you [Eduardo Paes e Claudio Castro]present projects, because if you have a project, you will have money released”, he said.

Before arriving in Rio, the president participated in the inauguration ceremony of economist Aloizio Mercadante as president of BNDES, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development. On the agenda, Lula went so far as to state that the acts of vandalism on January 8, in Brasília, represented “the revolt of the rich who lost the election”.

“I won the elections exactly to make the changes that were not being made. This country cannot continue to be governed by a small minority”, he added.

Lula bets on a positive agenda to increase the government’s popularity

In addition to Rio de Janeiro, Lula intends to visit the states of Bahia and Sergipe soon to announce federal government works. After Carnival, the president is expected to visit other Brazilian states.

Among the investments to be announced in the trips is the resumption of the “Water for All” program, which brings together preventive and drought measures, such as the construction of cisterns, in the driest regions of the country. In the Bahian city of Santo Amaro, Lula should relaunch the Minha Casa, Minha Vida housing program on February 14, according to the chief minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa.

The following day, Lula lands in Sergipe to visit the resumption of highway works in the northeastern state. “It’s a strong program and by the end of March several programs will be launched on these visits by the president,” he said. According to the minister, Lula should have travel schedules and openings every week for the next two months.

The movement to create a positive agenda for the government is part of a strategy by the Planalto Palace to increase Lula’s popularity in the first months of his administration. He intended to have started his tour of the country shortly after the acts of vandalism in Brasília. However, it ended up being postponed because government officials feared that measures considered positive could be lost in the midst of the investigation of those responsible and involved in acts of terror against the Three Powers.

Before the trip to Rio, Lula visited the cities of Araraquara (SP) and Boa Vista (RR), but due to emergency actions. Because of the damage caused by heavy rains in the city of São Paulo, and because of the health crisis of the Yanomami indigenous people.

Civil House coordinates list of works for Lula to inaugurate

In the strategy to create Lula’s positive agenda, the Civil House created a system for governors to present a list of up to three works that are stopped or in the process of being concluded in their states. The mapping effort with the works, actions and programs is being led by Minister Rui Costa to the other Ministries of the Esplanada.

The goal is to deliver as many government programs as possible and plan to resume at least 10,000 works within the first 100 days of the government. According to the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), the country has 38.5% of public works paralyzed, which corresponds to an amount of R$ 27.2 billion. The resumption, in the government’s calculations, will be a way to revive the economy and generate jobs in all states.

In São Paulo, for example, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), an ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), asked for support from the Lula government for mobility works such as the Intercidades Train, which will link Santos and Guarujá and the São Paulo subway.

“For my part, there is no veto to any governor who wants to talk. The door of the Planalto Palace is open. And we are going to show Brazil that governing in a civilized way is very important. The dissemination of hatred is over”, stated Lula during the meeting with the 27 governors at the end of January.

Lula goes to the USA to meet with President Joe Biden

Before visiting the other Brazilian states, Lula is leaving this Friday (10) for the United States for a meeting with President Joe Biden. This time, the expectation is that acts of vandalism in Brasilia, as well as the invasion of the Capitol, will be addressed by both as a way to expand the discourse in defense of democracy.

Lula also plans to meet with Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Last year, Sanders was one of those responsible for pressing the Biden government to take a stand against demonstrations against electronic voting machines by then-President Jair Bolsonaro.

Ministers Fernando Haddad (Finance), Marina Silva (Environment,) Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) will accompany the president on his visit to Joe Biden, in addition to Chancellor Mauro Vieira. The entourage returns to Brazil on Saturday (11).