On a visit to the South, the president comments on the friction between the minister and the president of the Chamber alongside both
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) mentioned this Sunday (May 5, 2024) the friction between the Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, and the President of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), during an interview about the actions for the reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul after the rains that have hit the state since April 28th.
“Our companion Alexandre Padilha, who looks like he’s fighting with Lira, who looks like he’s fighting with [Rodrigo] Pacheco [PSD-MG]. But he is our political coordinator, who will try to bring together a bench and see what can be done”, said Lula. The statement was given in the presence of the presidents of the Chamber and the Senate, who are in Rio Grande do Sul. In addition to them, a delegation from the federal government, with ministers, and the governor of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite (PSDB), participated .
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At the beginning of April, tension between Lira and Padilha increased. The president of the Chamber said that the minister is “incompetent” and responsible for planting “fake news” about Congress. After the comment about Padilha, Lula came to the minister’s defense. In a speech, she said she would keep him in the position “just out of stubbornness”.
More recently, both signaled a cooling of the situation. Padilha said that he did not break his dialogue with Lira and the deputy stated that he recognizes her “mistakes and successes” in his relationship with the minister.
Despite also being mentioned in Lula’s speech, the president of the Senate remained distant from the strangeness. The senator has already stated that he has “affection and sympathy” by Padilha and that it was necessary to avoid “this kind of problem”.
