In a message to Congress, Bolsonaro improvises, attacks Lula and reaffirms he is against media regulation

Malu Dacio – from Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS- Watched as in a platform formed by supporters in the National Congress, presided by Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD), President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) made the reading of the message of the executive branch.

Breaking his own protocols, Bolsonaro wore a mask while not giving his speech. Fleeing from the official message, made available in full by the Ministry of Communication, the president attacked former president Lula by reaffirming that media regulation cannot be allowed

Bolsonaro stated that he would never go to Congress to ask for the regulation of the media and the internet. “I hope that this is not regulated by any other power. Our freedom above all”, defended the president.

“Whoever it is, who is in the Planalto and dare to regulate the media. It doesn’t matter why, for what intention and purpose. Our freedom, the freedom of the press, guaranteed in our constitution cannot be violated or scratched by anyone in this country”, he said.

The speech, visibly improvised, since it was not in the official message, is a direct response to former president Lula, who has already stated that, if elected, he will regulate the country’s media.

Other agendas

Jair Bolsonaro highlighted the partnership with the National Congress. In his message at the opening of the legislative year, Bolsonaro cited as an example of the partnership the new Legal Framework of the Railroads, approved last year.

Bolsonaro said that facing the impacts of the pandemic, the federal government did not step away from its activities and said it had two basic premises: saving lives and protecting jobs. He began his speech with the health area.

“In the confrontation strategy, we strengthened the SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde – Unified Health System) through the expansion of the capacity of specialized attention, supply of beds, respirators, and individual protection equipment, among others. All vaccines applied in Brazil were distributed by the federal government, which purchased and distributed 400 million doses of vaccines”, said Bolsonaro.

Reaffirming his denialist position, Bolsonaro did not defend the vaccines when he defended that “everyone who so desired got their vaccine”.

About the rains that hit the country, Bolsonaro said that about R$ 2 billion were sent to face this crisis.

The president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, the president of the House, Arthur Lira, and the president of the Supreme Court (STF), Luiz Fux, were at the session.