When sanctioning “SUS da Cultura”, Lula criticizes Bolsonaro for “dismantling” the area

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) sanctioned this Thursday (4) the National Culture System, also known as “SUS da Cultura”, during a ceremony in Recife (PE). On that occasion, he once again criticized former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) for the “dismantling” of culture in his government.

“I hope that never again in my life will anyone appear who dares to end the Ministry of Culture and end culture in this country,” said Lula without mentioning Bolsonaro by name.

According to the government, the new system aims to strengthen the resumption of the Ministry of Culture and the department’s efforts to restore cultural protagonism in Brazil’s political-social scenario. Currently, around 60% of Brazilian municipalities have already joined the National Culture System, corresponding to more than 3,500 cities. All states and the Federal District have already signed up.

Among the initiatives to be implemented by entities that join the SNC are culture conferences, which are spaces for social participation in which public authorities and civil society come together to analyze the situation in the cultural sector and propose guidelines for the formulation of public policy. The System also provides for the progressive expansion of budgetary resources allocated to culture, especially the National Culture Fund (FNC), respecting the fiscal and budgetary limits set out in the relevant legislation.

Still during the presidential campaign, PT members reinforced that Culture would have a “new status” under President Lula’s government, after being demoted from ministry to secretariat and undergoing a series of changes during Bolsonaro’s management.

The changes to democratize access to the Rouanet Law, in the last government, with the aim of avoiding scams and reducing expenses, also generated consternation among some artists, who publicly attacked the proposals, alleging that the federal government practices censorship and acts with authoritarianism.

Upon assuming government, Lula recreated the Ministry of Culture, which is commanded by Minister Margareth Menezes. The newly created department has spent millions on new programs to encourage culture and has once again expanded the resources of the Rouanet Law.