Brazil now has a third-generation president, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva.
After three unsuccessful attempts to reach the top, the leftist politician Lula held Brazil’s highest office from 2003 to 2010.
He is now 77 years old and has been elected to office after defeating far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro in October. There was tight security at the Brasilia inauguration ceremony due to fears that Bolsonaro supporters might disrupt proceedings.
In his speech to Congress on Sunday, he highlighted many of the issues and priorities that the leader must address: health and education.
“The great edifice that this nation has built of rights, sovereignty, and development has been systematically destroyed in recent years. He stated that all of his efforts would be directed to rebuilding the edifice.
According to military police, a man with an explosive device and a knife was arrested as he tried to enter the Brazilian capital’s inauguration.
After a ceremony in Brazil’s congress, up to 300,000.00 people gathered on the esplanade for the celebration.
Concern was also expressed about Bolsonaro’s willingness accept the results in the most closely contested presidential race in over 30 years, as his political opponents refused to allow him to take office. Bolsanaro still has not recognized Lula’s victory and did not attend Friday’s event after he left Brazil for Florida.
The vote was won by less that two percentage points. Mr Bolsonaro spent months staking doubt over the reliability of Brazil’s electronic electoral system. Mr Bolsanaro was silent for many days after Lula won the election. Tension grew as backers of former president blocked roads to protest Lula’s win. Lula is given the reins in a divided Brazil.
It wasn’t always like that. It was 83% approval ratings when he retired in 2011. His imprisonment on corruption charges was the result of a series of scandals. These charges were later dropped.
He criticized his predecessor’s government for failing to manage the COVID-19 epidemic that claimed more than 680,000 Brazilian lives on Sunday.
He stated that he was being sent to a country in ruin, where hunger has returned and there are no resources available for improving some areas, such as education, health, and conservation of rain forests.
The economic situation since Lula’s last election is very different, as the commodity boom which funded infrastructure and education has ended. He now has to pay for COVID-19 and global rising prices.