Lula’s gaffe with Emmanuel Macron adds to the president’s other ‘blunders’; remember 10 cases

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) confused this Tuesday, 26th, the name of the president of France and called Emmanuel Macron Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of the European country. The slip-up was during the awarding of indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire with the National Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest honor granted by the French government, in Belém (PA).

The gaffe is part of a list of controversial statements by the Brazilian president, such as when he spoke about the “fart balcony” and the time he said that grapes would grow on an olive tree.

‘Like a drum’

In January of this year, in a speech about the education and qualifications of young people, Lula asked a young woman if she was a “singer”, “someone’s girlfriend” or even a “percussionist”, because, according to him, “Afro-descendants like that enjoy a drumbeat. a drum.” The statement was made during a ceremony at the Volkswagen factory, in São Bernardo do Campo, in ABC Paulista, in São Paulo. The young woman won the company’s best young apprentice award.

‘Good communist’

In December 2023, he said that he hoped that the then Minister of Justice Flávio Dino, whom he nominated for a vacancy on the Federal Supreme Court (STF), would be a “good communist” on the Court.

‘Fart balcony’

In yet another joke, the president suggested that “Minha Casa, Minha Vida” build more spacious residences, with fences, backyards and a “fart balcony”. The statement was made in July 2023, at the relaunch of the program.

Walker and crutches

Another situation even provoked a reprimand from Senator Mara Gabrilli (PSD-SP), because he related beauty to not using equipment such as crutches and walkers. Shortly before undergoing hip surgery, Lula announced that he would not be photographed using support equipment. “It means that you won’t see me with a walker, crutch, you will always see me looking pretty,” he said in September 2023.

Poor frustrated

With assets of R$7.4 million, self-declared in 2022, the president stated that he is not “frustrated by being poor”, in a speech at the closing of the Brazil-Angola Economic Forum, in Luanda, the capital of the African country. The declaration was in August 2023.

‘Relative’ concept

Commenting on the politics of the neighboring country, Lula said that “Venezuela has more elections than Brazil. The concept of democracy is relative to you and me.” The comment was made in an interview with Rádio Gaúcha, in June 2023. Lula also stated that he likes democracy and exercises it fully.

‘Grampinho’

Lula already referred to ACM Neto (União Brasil) as a “crampon” in May last year. The pejorative expression to refer to the former mayor of Salvador is a nickname given by political opponents, due to a wiretapping scandal revealed in the 2000s.

‘Joke’ with Dino’s weight

Lula commented on the physical shape of his then Minister of Justice Flávio Dino, in June 2023. The PT member stated that they would serve “little food” to the minister during lunch. In the same month, he had already said that, due to his obesity, Dino would be riding a bicycle.

grape olive tree

In another gaffe, Lula stated that the olive tree he planted at the Palestinian Embassy in Brasília would take a while to bear grapes. The tree, however, bears olives. The moment of the declaration can be seen in the video recorded in February this year.

Thanks to Africa