“There is no divergence that cannot be overcome,” says Lula

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva minimized, this Tuesday (23), any tension in the government’s political articulation with the National Congress. At a breakfast with journalists, at Palácio do Planalto, Lula said that there is no difference that cannot be overcome and that he had a private conversation with the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), last weekend .

“I don’t think we have problems in Congress, we have situations that are the normal things in politics,” said Lula, highlighting that the government approved important projects, such as the Proposed Constitutional Amendment (PEC) of the Transition and the tax reform.

The statement was given amid an increase in tensions, especially between Arthur Lira and the person responsible for political coordination at Palácio do Planalto, Alexandre Padilha. Recently, the president of the Chamber publicly insulted Padilha and President Lula even made a statement in defense of the assistant.

“What’s the fight with Congress? The fight is normal for political divergence, in a National Congress that has more political parties, which has different programs […]. So, I am convinced that we are in a very calm situation in the relationship with the National Congress”, assured Lula, adding that the projects in progress should be agreed, “as far as possible”, with the participation of government leaders, of the ministers of interest and the ministers of political articulation.

Reform is discarded

The President of the Republic did not give details about the conversation with Arthur Lira, but ruled out a ministerial reform. “There is no divergence that cannot be overcome. If there were no divergences, there would be no need for us to live under three distinct, autonomous powers, each one owns their own nose,” he stated.

One of the government’s next challenges is regulating tax reform. This Monday (22), Lula and the economic team finalized the final proposal and it will be up to the presidents of the Chamber and Senate to nominate the rapporteur of the texts. The president defended that they should be the same people who analyzed the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution that established the reform, Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM) in the Senate and Aguinaldo Ribeiro (PP-PB) in the Chamber.

“Far be it from me wanting to appoint a rapporteur to take care of tax policy, it is the role of the president of the Chamber, the role of the deputies. I would like people to take this into account, that anyone who was the rapporteur of the main project is very familiar with it, has already negotiated, has already spoken with other political parties, with the leaders, could facilitate the processing of the regulation”, he said.