‘Bolsonaro destroyed the Ministry of Culture’ - Lula targets rival’s record
Key Takeaways
- Lula accused Bolsonaro of dismantling the Culture Ministry and damaging several other government departments.
- He proposed putting cultural policies into Brazil's Constitution to protect them across different governments.
- The Rio event formed part of Lula's campaign for a fourth presidential term ahead of the October 4 election.
Lula used a campaign gathering with Brazil’s cultural sector to criticise Bolsonaro’s record and propose constitutional protections for cultural policies.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused former president Jair Bolsonaro of having "destroyed" several government ministries during his administration as he campaigned alongside members of the cultural sector in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday.
Lula made the remarks during the 'Culture with Lula' gathering at the Fundicao Progresso cultural centre, where he appeared alongside artists and other cultural figures.
"Bolsonaro destroyed not only the Ministry of Culture; he destroyed the Ministry of Labour. He destroyed the Ministry of Industry and Trade [...] the Ministry of Racial Equality, the Ministry of Women and the Ministry of Human Rights," Lula said.
Lula Pushes Constitutional Protection for Culture
During Bolsonaro's government, the Ministry of Culture was dismantled. Its responsibilities were initially transferred to the Ministry of Citizenship before being placed under a special secretariat within the Ministry of Tourism.
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Lula said cultural policies should receive stronger protection to prevent them from being changed by future governments.
"It is necessary that we incorporate into the Constitution what we want for culture. It is the safest way to ensure there are no changes from one government to another," he said.
Singer Daniela Mercury, who attended the gathering, spoke about the role of different forms of cultural expression in shaping Brazilian identity.
"Culture touches all of us directly and profoundly; it is our bonds," she said.
Brazil Heads Towards October Election
The gathering formed part of Lula's campaign for a fourth presidential term, with Geraldo Alckmin again running as his vice-presidential candidate.
Brazil's presidential election is scheduled for October 4. Lula and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, are among the main contenders.
If no candidate receives more than half of the valid votes, a second round will be held on October 25.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
