The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, boarded a flight this Friday afternoon, the 30th, bound for the United States of America, according to local press reports. With that, neither Bolsonaro nor his vice president will pass the presidential sash to Lula.
“I consider it [o passamento da faixa presidencial] a duty and responsibility of the outgoing president. It is a symbolic act of the change of command. The President of the Republic has already signaled that he should not participate in this ceremony. In taking this decision, it is not up to me to participate, because I am not the president”, explained the vice president of Brazil, Hamilton Mourão, who is currently assuming the leadership of that South American country.
Bolsonaro is expected to spend the turn of the year at a resort in the Orlando region, Florida, and there is no forecast that he will return for the inauguration of the president-elect, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, this Sunday, January 1st.
There are two names quoted to pass the sash to Lula. The first to be considered is the president of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, the next name in the country’s line of command after Mourão. Another would be the president of the Senate and the National Congress, Rodrigo Pacheco.
As provided for in Brazilian law, the President of Congress opens the inaugural session and then hands the President-elect and his vice president the term of office for them to sign. In Lula’s inauguration, the prediction is that Pacheco will speak soon after Lula.
with agencies
João Lourenço on his way to Brazil to participate in Lula’s investiture