The federal government denied any interference in the development or choice of the plot used in the parade, in honor of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), in Marquês de Sapucaí.
In a note produced before the parade, Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency) also informed that there was no judicial decision that would prevent the presentation from taking place.
“Likewise, there was no government interference in the choice and development of the aforementioned plot or any other school,” says the statement.
The government added that the AGU (Attorney General of the Union) suggested a statement from the Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic, which issued conduct guidelines for federal authorities.
“These guidelines include the prohibition of receiving invitations from for-profit legal entities that constitute a conflict of interest with the public administration, the receipt of daily allowances and tickets and the non-holding of demonstrations that constitute early electoral propaganda”, states the note.
The initiatives cite possible cases of advance propaganda, abuse of political and economic power, misuse of public resources and even allegations of religious prejudice against evangelicals portrayed in the plot, taking the case beyond the Electoral Court.
The parade
President Lula was the subject of the Acadêmicos de Niterói parade, at the opening of the Special Group of Samba Schools in Rio de Janeiro.
Entitled “From the top of the mulungu, hope arises: Lula, the worker of Brazil”, the plot told the story of the President of the Republic from his departure from Garanhuns, in the countryside of Pernambuco, his coming to São Paulo with his family, his time as a union leader and his arrival in Planalto.
Lula followed the parade directly from Marquês de Sapucaí, in the municipal Executive box, alongside Mayor Eduardo Paes (PSD), ministers and allies.
The Niterói Front Commission portrayed several moments in Lula’s political career, such as his rise to the Presidency and the handover of power to Dilma Rousseff (PT).
Former president Michel Temer (MDB) was also shown “stealing” Dilma’s presidential sash. Afterwards, Lula is arrested, Temer passes the banner to the clown Bozo — a famous character from the 1980s —, who would be representing Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
Subsequently, we see Lula’s return to Power and the arrest of the clown, alongside Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court).
Wings were also depicted praising the PT government’s social programs.
See the full Secom note:
The Government of Brazil clarifies, regarding legal actions and representations:
- There is no judicial decision that prevents the holding of a Samba School parade that aims to honor the life story of Dona Lindu and President Lula.
- The requests contained in the representations sent to the Federal Audit Court were not accepted outright, so that any transfers made to the League of Samba Schools or any association of the Rio de Janeiro Special Group were not prevented.
- The Rio de Janeiro Samba Schools Parade is a cultural and tourist event with international repercussion that receives recurring support from the State Government, Rio City Hall and Embratur. The resources were not created now and are passed on to the League of Samba Schools of Rio de Janeiro, Liesa, and not directly to the schools.
- Likewise, there was no Government interference in the choice and development of the aforementioned plot or any other school.
- The Federal Court of the Federal District rejected the initial petitions for popular actions filed by parliamentarians regarding the cultural event. In the same vein, the representations sent to the Public Electoral Ministry and reported in the press did not result in legal action.
- The Superior Electoral Court denied the request for an injunction in the representations for electoral propaganda in advance of the parade. The court’s decision was unanimous and recognized that previously restricting artistic and cultural manifestations, just because they contain possible political content, constitutes prior censorship and a disproportionate restriction on democratic debate.
- Electoral legislation requires, for advance advertising, the presence of an explicit request to vote, including semantically equivalent expressions. The narration of the personal trajectory, including political, and its historical references, does not characterize the practice of electoral illegality.
- It is essential to note that the cultural event takes place in the pre-election period, prior to the registration of candidacies and authorized electoral propaganda, so that its holding takes place in a period of time in which the legal system grants greater scope to freedom of expression and participation in public events.
- The Federal Attorney General’s Office issued legal recommendations to the Federal Public Administration regarding the authorities’ participation in the cultural event as part of a private agenda. Among them, it was recommended that State Ministers not use Air Force Command planes, nor be assisted by public servants on duty in fulfilling their private agenda.
- The AGU also suggested a statement from the Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic, which issued conduct guidelines for senior federal authorities. These guidelines include the prohibition of receiving invitations from for-profit legal entities that constitute a conflict of interest with the Public Administration, the receipt of daily allowances and tickets and the non-holding of demonstrations that constitute early electoral propaganda.
