The teams of president-elect Lula and the outgoing head of state, Jair Bolsonaro, would meet this Thursday afternoon to begin the transition of power in Brazil, where the protests against the victory of the former left-wing president have diminished in intensity.
Many roadblocks were lifted after the outgoing far-right president called on his supporters on Wednesday to unblock the roads.
The number of roadblocks rose from 250 in the country on Tuesday during the peak, to 74 on Thursday morning in eight states (out of 27), according to the highway police, which also recorded 862 various demonstrations.
The president, who half-recognized his defeat on Tuesday, also supported the “legitimate protests.” This Wednesday, thousands of Bolsonaro protesters went to military buildings in eleven states to demand the intervention of the army to prevent Lula’s return to power.
The transition begins, Lula enthroned on January 1
Lula’s vice president and the centrist Geraldo Alckmin would meet in the afternoon with the chief of staff of the far-right head of state, Ciro Nogueira, in the capital Brasilia to begin the transition.
Gleisi Hoffmann, the president of Lula’s in-laws, the Workers’ Party, and the coordinator of former metalworker Aloizio Mercadante’s program were also scheduled to attend the meeting, according to CNN Brasil.
Geraldo Alckmin, former governor of Sao Paulo, is in charge of coordinating the transfer of power with the outgoing administration, with whom he has already had contact, but in an atmosphere of uncertainty caused by Jair Bolsonaro’s silence for two days after his defeat in the presidential election.
The former paratrooper ended up giving his teams permission to launch the transition, without mentioning the name of his staunch enemy Lula or congratulating him on his victory. Lula will be sworn in as president on January 1.
Source: BFM TV
