Lula attends September 7 parade with Alcolumbre and Fachin amid tensions between branches of government

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva appeared beside Senate President Davi Alcolumbre and Supreme Court President Edson Fachin at Brazil’s traditional September 7 parade in Brasília, as tensions continued among the country’s branches of government.

The ceremony took on a campaign-like atmosphere as supporters filled the stands along the Esplanade of Ministries. Before Lula arrived, they chanted “end the six-day workweek,” referring to a constitutional amendment proposal moving through the Senate. Alcolumbre, who has said he will not put the proposal to a vote before the elections, was already at the venue.

The crowd also responded enthusiastically to Zé Gotinha, the mascot of Brazil’s Unified Health System, and to health workers. References to the Women’s World Cup, which Brazil will host next year, also featured during the parade.

Lula attended with Fachin, Alcolumbre, First Lady Rosângela Janja da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Chamber of Deputies President Hugo Motta. The gathering came after a strained relationship between Lula and Alcolumbre. The Senate president had spent months away from government discussions after Lula nominated Jorge Messias to the Supreme Court, and relations worsened when the Senate rejected the nomination in April.

According to the article, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes helped mediate a renewed relationship between Lula and Alcolumbre at a dinner in August. Since then, the two have met several times and agreed on the handling of government-backed projects in Congress.

Fachin’s presence also came amid a crisis at the Supreme Court after Justice André Mendonça lifted the secrecy surrounding investigations into alleged links between Moraes and investigations of billion-dollar fraud involving Master. Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues, whose name was also connected to new revelations involving alleged protection for banker Daniel Vorcaro, attended the parade. Alckmin stood beside Lula as a representative of the government leadership.

“

end the six-day workweek