For the third time, Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been sworn in as president, taking office amid escalating political tensions after a close race with far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
In a speech in the Lower House of Congress, Lula promised to bring “hope and reconstruction” to his country.
Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva smiles during the electoral certification ceremony at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal in Brasilia, Brazil, Monday, December 12, 2022.
(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
“The great edifice of rights, sovereignty and development that this nation built has been systematically demolished in recent years,” he said. “To re-erect this building, we are going to direct all our efforts.”
Although he did not name Bolsonaro by name, he vowed to hold members of his predecessor’s administration to account.
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“We have no spirit of revenge against those who tried to subjugate the nation to their personal and ideological designs, but we are going to guarantee the rule of law,” Lula said. “Those who erred will answer for their errors, with broad rights to their defense within due legal process.”
The leftist defeated Bolsonaro in the October 30 vote by less than 2 percentage points. For months, Bolsonaro had cast doubt on the reliability of Brazil’s electronic voting, and his loyal supporters were loathe to accept the loss.
President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, left, his wife Rosangela Silva, second from left, Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, right, and his wife María Lucía Ribeiro, ride in an open car to Congress for their ceremony swearing-in, in Brasilia, Brazil, on Sunday, January 1, 2023.
(AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Many have gathered in front of military headquarters ever since, questioning the results and pleading with the armed forces to stop Lula from taking office. His staunchest supporters resorted to what some officials and incoming members of Lula’s administration have termed acts of “terrorism,” prompting security concerns over events on inauguration day.
Lula has said that his priorities are to fight poverty and invest in education and health. He has also said that he will stop the illegal deforestation of the Amazon. He sought the support of moderate politicians to form a broad front to defeat Bolsonaro, then appointed some of them to serve in his cabinet.
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Lula left office with a personal approval rating of 83%, but political analysts doubt he will ever retain the popularity he once enjoyed. The credibility of Lula and his Workers’ Party has also been tarnished by a corruption investigation. Party officials were jailed, including Lula, whose convictions were later overturned on procedural grounds. The Supreme Court later ruled that the judge presiding over the case had colluded with prosecutors to obtain a conviction.
A supporter of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva displays a banner during his inauguration as the new president in front of the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, January 1, 2023.
(AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Lula and his supporters have maintained that he was deceived. Others were willing to look past possible wrongdoing as a means to oust Bolsonaro and bring the nation back together.
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But Bolsonaro’s supporters refuse to accept returning someone they see as a criminal to the highest office. And with tensions running high, a series of events has raised fears that violence could break out on inauguration day.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
