The President (PT) inaugurated on Wednesday (19) a dam in a ceremony that had the prayer of the Payman, criticism of predecessor Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and dispute for the paternity of the work, which is part of the São Francisco River Transposition project.
With an investment of R $ 765 million, the dam is part of the Oiticica Complex, a water work that will benefit the Seridó backlands with the damage of the piranhas river waters. The work began in 2013, still in the management of President Dilma Rousseff (PT), and lasted 12 years.
“Drought is a phenomenon of nature. It is one thing made by God. It turns out that we see people die because of the drought, or animals die because of the drought, it is no longer because of God, but the irresponsibility of the people who ruled this country for so many years,” Lula said at the solemnity in the city of Jucurutu (245 km of Christmas).
He then directed the criticism of Bolsonaro, said his predecessor “could only lie on television, distill hatred and tell lies” and said the country was acosphalus.
He also questioned the opponent’s religiosity: “When we are really religious, we do not use God’s name in vain.”
In referring to the dam, Lula stated that there was no appropriation for the work in the 2023 budget, approved in Bolsonaro management, and thanked the deputies and senators who directed resources of parliamentary amendments to the bill.
“I am grateful because, while an irresponsible president had only put $ 87 million, deputies and senators put $ 203 million to do this work,” he said.
The construction work of the Oiticica dam was started in 2013, still in the Dima government, crossed the management of Michel Temer (MDB) and Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and was completed in the Lula administration.
The paternity of the work is disputed by allies of Lula and Bolsonaro, who visited the work in February 2022 and attacked his predecessors. The Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, said that 69% of the work were carried out in the Dilma government and the final 9% in the Lula administration.
The inauguration of the work was surrounded by symbolism, starting with the choice of date. On March 19, the day of St. Joseph is celebrated, saint who in regions of the northeastern semiarid is seen as a divine intercessor to ask for rainfall and protection for harvests.
At the end of the ceremony, Lula passed the microphone to the Archbishop Emeritus of Natal, Dom Jaime Vieira Rocha, who spoke of the church’s struggles for access to water in the Northeast and pulled a prayer of the Our Father.
Lula’s visit to Rio Grande do Norte happens at a time when the president is experiencing a crisis of popularity, with one in his positive assessment among voters in the Northeast. The scenario lit the route changes in the government.
Research data released on February 14 point out that the president’s approval collapsed in the last two months, reaching the smallest level in his three terms.
In the Northeast, the president’s main electoral stronghold, the optimal and good rating of Lula fell from 49% to 33%, the largest regional fall. The region concentrates one in four Brazilian voters and was decisive for the petista’s victory in 2022.
The inauguration had festive mood, and Lula was received with applause from supporters. But there were also protests: servers from the federal universities of Rio Grande do Norte raised posters and banners charging salary adjustment, which was not granted because the annual budget law was stopped in the National Congress.
In 2024, the category of administrative technicians performed a strike at universities that lasted more than 100 days. The main demand for servers is a 9% salary adjustment that should have been applied in January this year.
The governor of Rio Grande do Norte, Fatima Bezerra (PT), has also been the target of protests from state school teachers, who have been on strike since February 26.
