The Niterói Academy's parade in honor of President Lula led to tensions over accusations of early campaign campaigning and featured the ex-president Bolsonaro as a target of criticism.
The Academicos de Niterói kicked off the special group parade in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, May 15, under the vigilant eye of the Electoral Justice, celebrating President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva while launching attacks on government opponents. The decision to honor Lula's history brought the parade theme to the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), due to accusations of premature electoral campaigning. The Court rejected a request from the Novo party on May 12 to prevent the school from entering the parade, but judges made it clear that the content of the parade would still be scrutinized by the Electoral Justice.
The parade attracted supporters of the president while infuriating opponents, drawing particular attention to former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is now Lula's main political rival. Throughout the event, Bolsonaro was the target of various mentions and criticisms, which added to the already politically charged atmosphere. In the opening segment, actors portrayed significant recent moments in Brazilian politics, framing them in a favorable light for Lula, and wearing masks of Lula, former presidents Dilma Rousseff and Michel Temer to underscore their narratives.
The event not only highlighted the ongoing political divide in Brazil but also raised questions regarding the appropriateness of using cultural celebrations for political purposes just months before the upcoming elections. This incident may set precedents concerning how electoral laws apply to cultural events and further intensify the partisan atmosphere as the elections approach.
