On the first day of the new year, Brazil's new president, Lula, was formally sworn in, and hundreds of thousands of his supporters converged on the central square in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on Jan. 1 to celebrate the occasion.
But the inauguration ceremony was missing a "key figure" - Bosonaro. The former Brazilian president, who was supposed to hand over the presidential ribbon to Lula, has flown to the United States.
While Bosonaro avoided the moment, his supporters camped outside the army's headquarters in Brasilia in an attempt to urge the army to stage a coup.
While chaos ultimately did not descend, Bosonaro's absence and the thousands of protesters served as a reminder to Lula that his third term as president, with all its divisions and challenges, may not be easy.
Lula sworn in
Samba, convertibles, thousands of BraziliansOn Jan. 1, Lula, 77, was formally sworn in for the third time as Brazil's 39th president for a four-year term after many years in the political arena.
In his inaugural speech, Lula emphasized that the new government will be committed to "unity and reconstruction" to solve the current crises and challenges faced by Brazil, and to promote the return of Brazil to the ranks of the world's major economies.
Lula waves to supporters in an open car on the day of his inauguration. Photo: bbc
Lula also said his new government will push for a return to economic growth, encourage scientific research and innovation, strengthen infrastructure, improve healthcare and fight hunger and poverty, while also realizing the goal of zero deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, actively participating in the issue of climate change and actively promoting multilateral diplomacy and developing cooperative relations with China, the United States, the European Union and other international partners.
Speaking at an emotional point, Lula also burst into tears. The BBC reported that Lula wiped away tears several times when talking about those beggars and the poor.
Lula was in tears during his speech. Photo credit: wp
And later, Lula took aim at his predecessor, Bosonaro, saying he threatened Brazil's democracy. "Having overcome a terrible threat, we must emphasize that 'democracy always exists'." Lula said.
On the scene, countless Lula supporters expressed their anticipation for the new president. A man dressed as Lula carried a banner reading "Love triumphs over hate". One Lula supporter shouted, "Brazil needs this transformation!" Another supporter said her country had been "a disaster".
Lula, who served two consecutive terms as Brazil's president from 2003 to 2010, was the first worker-born president in the country's history.Lula was jailed for a time between 2018 and 2019, but his guilty verdict was canceled in 2021.
In the Brazilian presidential election held in October 2022, Lula, who was the Labor Party candidate, was re-elected president over the Liberal Party's candidate, then-President José Antonio Bosonaro.
Lack of 'key players'
But the defeated Bosonaro did not want to be there to witness Lula's highlights.
Bosonaro was absent from Lula's inauguration, where the former was supposed to hand over the presidential ribbon to his successor on January 1, a key symbol of Brazil's peaceful transition of power.
The New York Times reported that Bosonaro had, on the evening of Dec. 30, 2022, flown to the U.S. state of Florida.
Some media have suggested that Bosonaro's "departure" was to avoid handing over the presidential ribbon to his rivals. But the New York Times analyzed that this shows that Bosonaro is uneasy about his future in Brazil.
Bosonaro, 67, is now linked to five separate investigations. Some senior federal prosecutors who have been involved in those cases believe there is enough evidence to prove Bosonaro's guilt, especially in cases related to the leaking of classified material, a senior Brazilian federal prosecutor said.
Bosonaro has flown to the United States. Photo credit: npr
And in his inaugural speech on the 1st, Lula also appeared to hint at the consequences Bosonaro could face. Lula said, "We have no intention of retaliating against those who try to subjugate the country to personal and ideological agendas, but we will guarantee the rule of law. Those who do wrong will pay for their mistakes."
A close friend of the Bosonaro family revealed that Bosonaro plans to spend one to three months in Florida, allowing him to see from a distance whether the Lula government will push through the investigation against him.
So far, Bosonaro has refused to recognize Lula's election victory. For nearly two months, Bosonaro's supporters have been staging protests, claiming the results were "stolen" and even calling for a military coup to prevent Lula from taking power.
Before traveling to the United States, Bosonaro delivered a "tearful" speech to Brazilians, praising those who have camped outside military camps across the country to oppose Lula.
Challenges remain
With tensions mounting, the Brazilian government has had to step up security to ensure Lula's safety on his inauguration day.
Last month, a group of radical Bosonaro supporters burned public **** cars in Brasilia and tried to storm the federal police headquarters after one of Bosonaro's supporters was arrested, according to foreign media reports.On Dec. 24, Brazilian police also defused bombs planted near Brasilia's international airport. And on the morning of the 1st, Brazilian police also arrested a man who tried to carry a knife into the inauguration area.
Despite the fact that the Brazilian judiciary said the inauguration day was calm and free of malicious incidents, Bosonaro's supporters have been gathering outside the barracks, raring to go, since the election results were announced.
Magno Rodrigues camped outside the Brazilian Army headquarters. Photo credit: nyt
Magno Rodrigues, 60, a former mechanic and janitor, has been camped outside the Brazilian Army headquarters for the past nine weeks, sleeping in a tent with his wife. Since Bosonaro's defeat, it has become a "hamlet" with showers, laundry services, cellphone charging stations, a hospital and food stalls, according to The New York Times.
On Oct. 30, 2022, Lula beat Bosonaro with 50.9 percent of the vote. That figure means that nearly half of the electorate did not approve of Lula's return. And the scene outside Brazil's military barracks suggests that Lula's third term will have to face great divisions and formidable challenges.
In his first two terms, Lula lifted millions of Brazilians out of poverty and boosted the country's economy. But now that he is in power again, he will not only have to improve the stagnant economy, but also bring polarized Brazil to unity. Reuters believes that Lula will usher in a troubled Brazil.
"The theme of Lula's speech revolved around 'unity and reconstruction,' two words that are indeed crucial in such a y divided, epidemic-hit and politically polarized country." Some foreign media believe that Lula's ultimate challenge will be to convince those who think he is a corrupt politician who should be in jail that he can now walk into the presidential palace and be the leader who takes this country forward.
Produced by Deep Zone Studios
Written by Deep Sea Otter
Edited by Deep Sea Salmon