Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in a video posted on social media on Wednesday that as head of state, he never took political advantage of September 7, Brazil’s independence day.
“As President of the Republic, I had the opportunity in 2006 and 2010 during the elections, and we never used Fatherland Day, the Day of the Brazilian People, the greatest day of our country thanks to independence, as a political campaign tool,” said the candidate, who was in the lead in all polls.
Lula da Silva accused the incumbent of trying to “attack” him instead of talking about the social and economic problems facing the Brazilian people.
Bolsonaro “had to explain how the family raised 26 million reais. [cerca de cinco milhões de euros] in cash to purchase 51 properties,” he added.
A few minutes earlier, fellow presidential candidate in Brazil Ciro Gomez criticized the head of state.
“Bolsonaro has turned September 7, the 200th anniversary of independence, into the most shameless election rally ever held in this country,” the third-place winner in the polls (9%) in the October 2 elections wrote on Twitter.
“There were other serious political, institutional and moral wrongdoings. The Brazilians are demanding a lawsuit!” Siro Gomes condemned.
Brasília and Rio de Janeiro are today the scene of the largest parades to mark the bicentenary of independence, which in practice turned into a political rally by Jair Bolsonaro, less than a month before the presidential elections.
Since Bolsonaro took office, a day that once belonged to all Brazilians has become a celebration of the political strength of the right-wing conservatives. The Brazilian flag and the Canariña jersey of the Brazilian football team have also become symbols of Bolsonaris.
After the civil-military parade to commemorate the bicentenary of independence in Brasilia, Bolsonaro, along with his wife Michel, crossed the Esplanada dos Ministerios and approached the electric trio, an impromptu stage, to address the thousands of supporters who were waiting for him. his.
“This is a fight between good and evil, an evil that has lasted 14 years in our country,” he said, referring to the governments of Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff (Workers’ Party).
“They won’t come back,” he exclaimed to the delight of thousands of supporters who sang one of the classic anti-Lula songs: “Lula, thief, your place is in prison.”
Seeing the Esplanada dos Ministérios covered in “green and yellow”, Bolsonaro said he had doubts about the polls that placed him in second place in the presidential race.
Despite the strong speech, Bolsonaro this time did not question the electoral system or attack the judges, as analysts quoted in the local press had already anticipated, who said they thought the current president’s tone would be even softer. to lower the rejection rate, which is 52% less than a month before his selective “clash” with Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro then traveled to Rio de Janeiro to join the gatherings and asked to be voted on in his speech on Copacabana Beach during an action that combined electoral propaganda with celebrations of the country’s bicentennial of independence.
“I’m not very polite, I swear, but I’m not a thief,” the head of state stressed, referring to his main opponent in the presidential race.
Polls released in Brazil show Lula da Silva leading the presidential race with more than 44% of the intention to vote, followed by Bolsonaro, who currently has more than 30% support.
The head of the Portuguese state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, watched the civil-military parade on September 7 on the Esplanade dos Ministerios, right in the center of the stands, next to Bolsonaro.
MIM (CYR/IEL) // VQ
Lusa/The End