President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) resumes his agenda in the country this week after fulfilling commitments in Europe, with visits to Spain, Germany and Portugal. Back in Brazil, Lula returns to fulfilling domestic commitments amid the impasse with the United States.
On Monday (20), the US government’s Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs released a message on social media saying it had asked PF (Federal Police) delegate Marcelo Ivo.
The message says that “no foreigner can manipulate our immigration system to circumvent formal extradition requests and extend political persecution into United States territory. Today, we ask that the Brazilian official involved leaves our country for trying to do this.”
Before leaving Germany, on Tuesday (21), Lula said that the Brazilian government is considering adopting and expelling American police officers on duty in Brazil if the government comes to the conclusion that there was “abuse” by the United States in relation to the removal request.
The presence of PF delegates working in the United States and US agents working in Brazil is due to a memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries to guarantee police cooperation.
“If there was American abuse towards our police officer, we will do reciprocity with theirs in Brazil. There is no conversation”, said the president shortly before leaving Hannover, Germany, towards Lisbon, the last stop on his tour of Europe.
Also on Tuesday, when asked about the matter, vice-president Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) stated that Brazil, but said that it is necessary to “wait” before adopting any measure.
As shown by CNNthe Brazilian government has already started a diplomatic movement in an attempt to prevent the episode, even if it materializes, from affecting the relationship between Brazil and the United States.
Other agendas
In addition to the impasse with the United States, Lula must dedicate himself to internal articulations on three other fronts: the end of the 6×1 scale in the Chamber, Jorge Messias’ hearing in the Senate and the formulation of new measures to mitigate the effects of the war.
This Wednesday (22), the CCJ (Constitution and Justice Commission) must vote on the text of the PEC (Proposed Amendment to the Constitution) that proposes the end of the 6×1 scale, in a regimental maneuver by the President of the Chamber, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), to try to approve the proposal in the House by the end of May. The scenario within the collegiate is favorable to the proposal.
Despite this, the government defends that the change be made through a bill with constitutional urgency, sent by Planalto on Tuesday (14). Behind the scenes, the assessment is that the PEC is progressing slowly and may not be completed before the elections. The issue is a priority for the government and Lula wants to approve the matter before the election.
Under the urgency procedure, the project must be analyzed within 45 days in each House of Congress. In addition to speeding up the processing, government members believe that a PL would allow greater flexibility to meet the specificities of different professional categories, unlike the PEC, which establishes a uniform rule. Another point of attention is that proposed amendments to the Constitution are enacted directly by Congress, without the possibility of presidential sanction or veto.
At the same time, Planalto works to guarantee the approval, in the Senate, of the appointment of the Union’s attorney general, Jorge Messias, for the open position in the STF (Supreme Federal Court). On Tuesday (28), Messias will be questioned at the Casa’s CCJ.
To be approved, Messiah must also be questioned in the plenary, with the approval of the absolute majority of the Senate, that is, 41 votes. The climate in the government is one of greater optimism after a period of tension with the Legislature.
The minister of SRI (Secretariat of Institutional Relations), José Guimarães, stated that “the worst is over” in the Federal Senate regarding the acceptance of the name of Messias and said he was maintaining dialogue with the president of the Federal Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), about the hearing. The speech took place on Thursday (16), during a breakfast with journalists, at Palácio do Planalto.
On the same occasion, Guimarães said that the government is preparing new measures against the effects of the war. The minister highlighted measures taken so far, but said they were “insufficient” to “address the damage”. He also said that it is necessary to take care of and reverse the debt of Brazilian families, a topic that will be discussed further internally.
Household diaries
Lula will still have national agendas in the coming days. On Thursday (23), the PT member participates in events in the Federal District. On Friday (24), Lula travels to the interior of São Paulo, where he fulfills schedules in Presidente Prudente and Andradina.
After four days of commitments in Europe, back in the country, the president opens his domestic agenda on Thursday with participation in the opening ceremony of the “Brasil na Mesa” fair, promoted by Embrapa Cerrado. The official opening of the event will be held on Thursday morning and will be attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André de Paula.
The fair brings together producers, researchers, public managers and the general public to present the diversity of foods produced in the country and expand knowledge about the richness of Brazilian socio-biodiversity. The objective is to bring together production, science, public policies and consumption, highlighting foods that are part of Brazilian productive diversity, but are still little known at a national level.
Also in the Federal District, on Thursday Lula takes part in the presentation of the Vivaleitura Award, at an event at the CICB (Brazilian International Convention Center), in Brasília.
On Friday, Lula leaves for São Paulo. In Presidente Prudente, the PT member participates in the inauguration of the new radiotherapy center at the Regional Hospital, with announcements related to the expansion of SUS services and the delivery of ambulances from Samu. In Andradina, the president participates in a ceremony focused on family farming, with deliveries and presentation of the National Milk Production Development Strategy.
Trip to Europe
Lula embarked on Thursday (16) for an official trip to Europe, which includes commitments in Spain, Germany and Portugal. The international agenda, which lasted until Tuesday, included the president’s participation in high-level political meetings, multilateral forums, meetings with business leaders and the signing of strategic agreements.
Lula met with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in an official arrival ceremony in the gardens of the Pedralbes Palace in Barcelona, on Friday (17). The PT member was also received, on Sunday (19), by the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, in the city of Hannover, in northern Germany.
On Tuesday, in Lisbon, Lula met with Portuguese authorities, including Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and President António José Seguro.
