Pacheco speaks and defends the fight against a Bolsonarist coup – 02/01/2023 – Politics

The re-elected president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), used the speech he made after the victory this Wednesday (1st) to preach the fight against hate speech and the coup that finds support, mainly, in the radical bases of the former -President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

Unlike the speech he adopted on the tribune before the vote, which was much more corporatist and which even brought signs to Bolsonarism, after re-election Pacheco concentrated his message on emphasizing that the political world needs to put an end to coup escalations, understanding that the search for pacification does not it means turning a blind eye to lies and threats to the democratic state.

“The reality of the moment imposes a warning on us. Pacification does not mean omission or leniency. Pacification is not inflaming the population with untrue narratives and solutions that generate institutional instability. Pacification does not mean keeping silent in the face of coup acts.”

Pacheco, who was re-elected with strong support from the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government, also stated that it is necessary to fight for the truth and abandon the discourse of us against them.

“Toxic polarization needs to be eradicated from our country. Events such as those that occurred here in this National Congress and in Praça dos Três Poderes on January 8, 2023 cannot, and will not, be repeated. (…) I reiterate that the events January 8th are being overcome, but they will not be forgotten.”

In his speech before the vote, Pacheco had adopted a much milder tone, in which he included the defense of the full rights of senators, a nod to Bolsonarists who point to interference by the Federal Supreme Court over their prerogatives.

After defeating Bolsonaro’s former minister Rogério Marinho (PL-RN) by 49 votes to 32, he raised the tone against the most radicalized Bolsonarist political group.

“Brazilians need to return to civilized disagreement, they need to recognize with absolute sobriety, when they are defeated, and they need to respect the authority of public institutions. There is only order if they do so. There is only patriotism if they do so. There is only humanity if they do so .”

During the Bolsonaro administration, Pacheco adopted an attitude of greater independence in relation to the government, unlike the close alignment promoted by Arthur Lira (PP-AL) in the Chamber.

Thus, his candidacy for re-election was supported from the beginning by the PT and by the government, which mobilized strongly in the final stretch to avoid a wave of betrayals that could lead Bolsonarism to triumph in the Senate.

“Hate speech, lying speech, coup speech must be discouraged, denied and fought,” said Pacheco, never directly mentioning Bolsonaro or his more radical allies, although it was clear that the message was for them.

The January 8 Bolsonarist attacks, for example, were cited several times. “On the part of the Presidency of the Federal Senate, the response against the attempt to take democracy by storm was incisive and quick.”

Shortly after the vote, and before the victory speech, former vice-president Hamilton Mourão, elected senator for the Republicans of Rio Grande do Sul, said he hoped that Pacheco would manage the Planalto Palace independently.

Despite the fact that the elected Congress maintained its previous, mostly conservative profile, Pacheco again promised that, over the next two years, Parliament “will continue to produce norms in defense of minorities, against racism, in favor of women”, in addition to “the search for of solutions for social inequality, for hunger, for environmental problems”.

Pacheco also promised to be collaborative with the Lula government to make viable economic measures that allow the return of growth. “We want to build bridges and help build solutions. Don’t expect anything less from us.”