The president () held a dinner on Wednesday night (4) with the president of the Chamber, (-PB), and leaders from the government base and the center.
The PT member caressed the head of the House, eased friction due to the launch of presidential candidacies by allied parties and was moved by interspersing his speech with songs such as “Disparada”, by Jair Rodrigues, and “Pra Dizer que Não Falei das Flores”, by Geraldo Vandré.
Lula thanked deputies for approving important projects for the government, such as tax reform and income tax exemption, and did not dwell on proposals that are yet to be voted on, only citing the end of the 6×1 scale and the regulation of work via app.
In this context, the president scheduled a meeting with Motta and the ministers (General Secretariat) and (Institutional Relations) for next week to discuss the matter. He said that even parliamentarians who voted against agendas of interest to Planalto may have collaborated by providing a quorum.
The president also praised Hugo Motta, with whom he became closer at the end of the year. The PT member stated that the deputy faced a “very difficult year”, with many delicate issues. He highlighted that the president of the Chamber is young and that, at times, he asked whether the parliamentarian would be okay in a hostile scenario.
Finally, Lula highlighted the congressman’s patience and said that Motta could count on him, as “friends show themselves in difficult times.” According to one of those present, the head of the Legislature was applauded when he spoke of the pact against feminicide, launched this Wednesday by the three Powers, and also said that there are moments of divergence and convergence with the government.
Lula also addressed the elections. He stated that he was excited for the dispute and that he was “sure” that he would reach his fourth term. The PT member said that “the election is not won”, but he will work for it. To this end, he said he wanted to count on the support of the maximum number of parties that have the minimum democratic parameters, but he stated that he understood that electoral campaigns generate disagreements.
The president also addressed parties in the center and minimized the possibility of acronyms with ministries launching their own names in the race for Planalto. Lula said he understands the fact that these acronyms articulate candidacies, highlighting that he wants to maintain a good relationship with the base. It was an indirect message to the PSD, which has three pre-candidates for the Presidency while maintaining three ministries in the Esplanada.
Lula seeks alliances in the states with politicians from parties that, nationally and officially, are unlikely to support him – such as , , and . Deputies from regions where the president has greater popularity, such as the Northeast states, are interested in associating their political groups with his.
The president divided the almost 30 parliamentarians and six invited ministers into themed tables, named after wood. The dinner menu offered by the president and the first lady, Janja, included pirarucu prepared in various ways, as well as pirão and farofa, in a relaxed atmosphere.
The chef chosen to please the deputies’ palates was Saulo Jennings from Pará, the same one chosen for COP30, in Belém, last year.
Lula also presented the samba-plot made about his mother, Dona Lindu. The president took the opportunity to invite the leaders to go to Rio de Janeiro, during Carnival, where the PT member will be honored by Acadêmicos de Niterói.
From the government team, in addition to Gleisi and Boulos, ministers Sidônio Palmeira (Secom), Alexandre Silveira (Mines and Energy), Fernando Haddad (Finance) and Rui Costa (Casa Civil) were present.
Gleisi spoke briefly and stated that he will soon be back in the Chamber. The minister has already confirmed her pre-candidacy for the Senate in Paraná, following a direct request from Lula.
The guests arrived at Granja do Torto, the country residence of the President of the Republic, between 7pm and 8pm, and had their cell phones collected at the entrance. The meeting lasted around three hours and had a relaxed tone.
Also present at the residence were the government leader in the Chamber, deputy José Guimarães (PT-CE), and PT leader, Pedro Uczai (PT-SC), as well as the government leader in the Senate, Jaques Wagner (PT-BA). Other parliamentarians from the base also attended, such as Benedita da Silva (PT-RJ), Túlio Gadêlha (Rede-PE), Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS), Damião Feliciano (União-PB), Pedro Lucas (União-MA) and Isnaldo Bulhões (MDB-AL).
Invitations to the dinner were made to left-wing and centrist parties in recent days. Members of the government leadership in the Chamber and the Secretariat of Institutional Relations of the Presidency of the Republic contacted congressmen.
A similar dinner, with the president of the Senate, Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) and senators, initially scheduled to take place alongside the deputies, was scheduled for after Carnival.
Motta, in a demonstration of alignment with Lula, had reinforced the invitation with several deputies. On one occasion, he found the Sheetthe president of the Chamber told a group of bench leaders, in a joking tone, that even representatives of the opposition PL could go.
With the exception of PL and Novo, all parties had representatives this Wednesday.
Motta sealed his rapprochement with Lula at the end of last year, when the PT member. He was nominated by the president of the Chamber, of whom he is an ally in Paraíba. The relationship had an impact on the definition of .
Furthermore, Motta wants to elect his father, Nabor Wanderley (Republicans), as senator in this year’s dispute and to boost the candidacy of Wanderley, now mayor of Patos (PB).
The federal government has a list of projects to approve in the Legislature before the October ones, and which would be important for the president’s attempt to obtain another term in office.
Examples include , which changes the rules for combating organized crime, and the PEC (proposed amendment to the Constitution) which increases the Union’s responsibilities in the area of public security. Also on the list is the regulation of work via apps, and at least the beginning of the discussion on reducing working hours, a proposal known as the end of the 6 x 1 scale.
The PT member used to have direct contact with deputies, senators and other politicians more frequently in his first governments. In the current term, these events are rarer. The president’s allies believe that friction between the Executive and Legislative branches could have been minimized if this type of contact had been frequent.
