Lula da Silva is sworn in as Brazil’s new president

“The atmosphere was a bit tense before the opening ceremony,” said Boris van der Spek, Latin America correspondent for NOS Radio 1 Journal. “There were fears of an attack on Lula, but in the end it turned out to be a very popular party. Millions of people were there. There were many security measures, soldiers, snipers were on the roofs. In the end, it went well.”

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The new president delivered a speech during the inauguration. “He talked a lot about unity, reuniting Brazil after years of separation under Bolsonaro,” van der Spek says. “And that’s necessary, Bolsonaro still has 49 percent of the population behind him. Lula has to get those people back, Brazil is really a divided country.”

Lula has also spoken highly of the previous government. “So about Bolsonaro’s government, he didn’t mention Bolsonaro, but Bolsonaro left the country in ruins, did a very bad job, and he promised to work very hard to rebuild the country.”

Bolsonaro

Former President Bolsonaro did not attend the inauguration ceremony. He left for America a few days before the handover of power. Former presidents usually attend the inauguration ceremony. “The tradition is that a president hands over to his successor the presidential sash, such a slanted belt. Bolsonaro didn’t want that, not there. It was already very different in that way, and there was a lot of fear that something might happen. It makes the ceremony extra special.”

Palpitation

Since Lula’s election victory, Brazil has continued to experience unrest and regular riots. Can it be changed now that the devolution is over? “Bolsonaro leaving the country took the air out of the movement of Bolsonaro’s radical supporters,” said van der Spek. “Yet, until inauguration day, Bolsonaro’s supporters camped out at the military base. They demanded that the military intervene.”

There are many stories circulating on Brazilian social media about how Lula ‘stole’ the elections. “Those ideas still linger with supporters, maybe not in the street, but the country is divided and the unrest will continue for a while. It depends on what Lula does in the first year.”

First actions

What does Lula want to do now as president? “To the outside world, Lula will focus more on deforestation, which has increased dramatically under Bolsonaro. Lula wants to work for a greener Brazil. He has appointed an environmentalist as environment minister.”

Lula will also have to work hard on the Brazilian economy, according to van der Spek. “Export prices are low, unemployment is high. That’s a big challenge for Lula. The country is also divided in terms of a big divide between black people and poor people. That’s where the big challenges are. Lies for Lula,” he explains. “He must work hard to build a thriving economy again.”