Federal government gestures to mayors and waves to Alcolumbre

The Lula government's decision not to act to prevent the overturn of the presidential veto on the redistribution of resources to municipalities was interpreted by members of the government itself as a political gesture towards Brazilian mayors, at a time of the electoral calendar. The episode was also read by Lula's allies as a nod to Davi Alcolumbre, with whom the government seeks to relax its relationship.

The investigation was carried out by journalist Tainá Falcão on Backstage CNN, based on confidential sources from Palácio do Planalto and interlocutors from the Federal Senate.

Gesture to the mayors or a wave to Alcolumbre?

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Members of Palácio do Planalto consulted by the journalist denied that the non-action was a gesture directed at Alcolumbre. "There's nothing like a gesture for Davi. A wave like that, who knows, of course, there could be," government sources told Tainá. However, in a reserved manner, interlocutors admitted that the decision not to work to support the veto also ended up working as a movement to de-stress the relationship between Lula and Alcolumbre. A Planalto source stated that the episode was "more of a gesture for the mayors, of course, during an election year."

The overturned veto dealt with the redistribution of resources to municipalities, an issue that had been the target of strong pressure from the National Confederation of Municipalities and parliamentarians who defend municipalism, including Alcolumbre himself. Government leaders reported that, although there is official denial from Planalto, the government simply deliberately chose not to mobilize its base to support the presidential decision. The internal assessment is that a confrontation with the mayors on the eve of the electoral period would have a high political cost.

Tension with Alcolumbre and attempted rapprochement
The episode occurred a few days after Alcolumbre raised his tone during the March of Mayors in Brasília, when he claimed to have previously warned the government that there were not enough votes to maintain the presidential veto. Behind the scenes, the senator's interlocutors told Tainá Falcão that Alcolumbre considers the feud with Lula to be over, evaluating that he was "very transparent" when warning about the risk of defeat.

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On the other side, Lula expressed regret over the episode. In a meeting with the National Confederation of Mayors held on Wednesday, the president said that the defeat in the Senate "hurt him as it hurt Jorge Messias". Still, Lula is betting on resuming institutional dialogue with Alcolumbre, although he has signaled that the first step must come from the senator.

Priority issues keep the government attentive to the Senate
Even after the defeat in the veto, Planalto remains committed to preserving communication channels with Alcolumbre, in the face of issues considered priorities. A source from the government's political organization warned: "We're not thinking that everything has been decided, there's still something to pass in the Senate. We can't turn our backs on Davi Alcolumbre now."

Among the strategic themes mentioned are the Public Security PEC, which is blocked in the Federal Senate, and the need to avoid the advancement of so-called "bomb agendas" with potential fiscal impact, such as the PEC that reduces the minimum age for retirement of community health agents and proposals that create national minimum wages for firefighters, dentists and doctors. The discussion about the end of the 6x1 work schedule was also mentioned, with the assessment that the debate should follow a logic similar to that of income tax, with the possibility of changes and an extended deadline.

In Planalto, the predominant reading is that, despite the recent noises, Alcolumbre should not prolong the wear and tear and that the institutional relationship between the two should be resumed soon. Government members are already pointing out signs that the senator wants to treat the recent episodes as isolated and preserve a channel of political dialogue with Lula.

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Source: CNN