Lula waves to evangelicals and Uber drivers after event – 02/28/2024 – Power

The Lula (PT) government appeals to evangelicals and app workers in an attempt to dehydrate the Bolsonarist electorate or, at least, halt its advance.

Discussed in meetings this week, the strategy was solidified after a demonstration on Sunday (25) in support of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), according to the president’s allies.

Lula himself recognized the magnitude of the pro-Bolsonaro act, which took place on Avenida Paulista and called after the revelation of coup-related discussions during a ministerial meeting led by the former president in July 2022.

According to allies, the act on Avenida Paulista, in São Paulo, ended up reinforcing the need for measures aimed at this electorate. Actions under debate since last year will take shape in March.

On Monday (4), for example, a project will be announced to provide hourly remuneration for app drivers. The result of an agreement with the platforms, the proposal also includes social security contributions for these workers.

The PEC (Constitutional Amendment Proposal) should be approved this month, which guarantees tax immunity for churches and religious temples.

The expectation is that it will be promulgated by Congress during Holy Week. Members of the evangelical bench see this measure as a great opportunity for the government to smooth out the edges of the segment.

The expectation is that, with this PEC, the government will give up around R$1 billion per year, which, according to parliamentarians, would already be reduced in the coming years when the tax reform comes into force.

Benefits for the temples will even be granted in terms of construction materials and the purchase of automobiles.

However, the PEC does not resolve an impasse regarding churches’ social security contributions. Therefore, the government hopes that, in March, the preparation of a legal opinion will be completed that will allow the expansion of tax benefits to religious denominations for exemption from social security contributions.

These benefits were suspended by the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad (PT), last year.

Author of the PEC, former mayor of Rio Marcelo Crivella (Republicans) states that the suspension was motivated by an initiative by the Public Ministry of Accounts. “Therefore, there was no intention of the government to restrict rights of houses of worship,” he said.

“Regarding PEC 5 [da imunidade tributária]last year we held numerous meetings with the Civil House until we reached a text of understanding.”

The proposal was approved on Tuesday (27) by the Special Committee and now goes to the plenary. Government officials signaled their support for the text. “I believe that the government understands that a strong church is a weak crime. And strengthening all churches means guaranteeing tax immunity,” said Crivella.

“The PEC is for all religious denominations. Certainly if the government supports it, as it has supported, it will show its appreciation for them”, added Crivella, who is a licensed bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

Also in response to Sunday’s act, emissaries from the federal government told parliamentarians in the Chamber of Deputies that those who signed the impeachment request against President Lula for comparing the deaths in the Gaza Strip to the Holocaust will suffer consequences from the Executive.

Lula’s aides spent Monday (26) trying to divert the focus from the Bolsonarist demonstration, but recognized that the former president managed to gather strong political allies.

Lula also made a gesture to the military, a group strongly identified with Bolsonarism and which has a relationship with the Lula government marked by distrust. In an interview with Rede TV! on Tuesday, Lula avoided making harsher criticisms of the actions of the Armed Forces in the country and said that he prefers not to dwell on the consequences of the 1964 coup because this “is part of the past” and he wants to “move the country forward”.

In the same interview, he also said that at no other time in history were members of the Forces punished as much as they are currently being punished for their involvement in coup plots in 2022 and for their participation in the attacks on January 8, 2023.

The president cited the fact that high-ranking officers were called to testify to the Federal Police about investigations into a coup plot to prevent Lula from taking office.