A historic and tense day. At 77, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was proclaimed president of the large emerging country of 215 million inhabitants, 12 years after leaving power after two terms (2003-2010). He was sworn in before Congress and pledged “to rebuild the country, with the Brazilian people”.
The left-wing icon accused his far-right predecessor of “draining health resources, dismantling education, culture, science and technology and destroying environmental protection”. Brazil “does not need to deforest” to support its agriculture, the new leader also said. Lula succeeds 77-year-old far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who left the country two days before the end of his term and whom the left-wing icon narrowly beat in October.
Several tens of thousands of Lula sympathizers dressed in red invaded the center of Brasilia on Sunday, hours before the historic leader of the left was proclaimed president of Brazil for the third time. The investiture ceremonies, placed under tight security, were snubbed by outgoing head of state Jair Bolsonaro, who left Brazil two days before the end of his term.
Bolsonaro in fuite in Florida
He therefore did not hand over the presidential sash to his successor as required by democratic tradition, which has not happened since 1985 and the end of the military regime. Reclusive and almost silent since his October defeat, Bolsonaro, who loses his presidential immunity, left Brazil for Florida on Friday.
While his most radical followers want to prevent Lula’s accession to power and are still camped outside barracks in the country, demanding military intervention, security has been tightened. All the police forces of the district of Brasilia, some 8,000 agents, were mobilized, as well as a thousand federal police officers.
A minute of silence was observed in Congress in tribute to Brazilian soccer legend Pelé, who died on Thursday, and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday, just before the enthronement of Lula and his center-right vice president, Geraldo Alckmin.
Lula joined Congress in the traditional Rolls Royce convertible, despite concerns about his safety. French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Lula on his inauguration on Sunday with two tweets, in French and Portuguese. “Order and Progress: Brazil lives up to its motto. Congratulations dear President, dear friend Lula, for your investiture. We are together! “.