The spirit that emanates from September 7 must permanently inspire the work of the National Congress, as well as the fight against anti-democratic setbacks and possible attacks on the rule of law and democracy. The affirmative comes from the President of the National Congress and the Federal Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, who this Thursday (8), opened the prestigious solemn session intended to commemorate the bicentenary of the Independence of Brazil.

— Today we celebrate the bicentenary of our independence, one of the most politically significant civic events of our still young and promising nation. Undoubtedly, the conspiracy that resulted in the Ipiranga cry is worthy of pride for the whole country. Its symbolism awakens something very precious in our collective spirit,” Pacheco said.

The President of the Congress recalled that the bicentenary of Independence commemorates the event of the break with the former metropolis. He said that “from a history of domination and a condition of dependence, we have moved to the level of equality and respect in relation to other sovereign nations, and we have acquired our own relevant identity. We began to decide, as Brazilian people, how to govern our country autonomously, without outside interference”.

Rodrigo Pacheco thanked the representatives of different countries for the many participations in the solemn session and underlined “the very important strategic partnership” between Brazil and Portugal.

— Let us follow the words of José Bonifácio, the Patriarch of Independence. As Andrada wrote in his book Projects for Brazil, let us seek a “sound policy, the noblest and most holy cause that can animate generous and human hearts”. Finally, let’s pay tribute to the courage, patriotism and civic spirit that pushed Dom Pedro I to utter the famous cry of Ipiranga!

The opening words of Pacheco’s session in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies were followed by the national anthem, performed by the singer Fafá de Belém who, breaking the program, also performed a cappella part of the anthem of Portugal. During the session, an institutional video was presented on the 200 Years of Citizenship Exhibition — The People and Parliament.

Co-host of the solemn session, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, recalled the story and underlined the coincidence with the year of the majority elections.

— The celebrations of the bicentenary of Independence have invited us to reflect on the Nation that we have built over the past 200 years. Looking to the future, what country will we build in the next 100 years? Which Brazil do we want to celebrate on the occasion of the Tricentenary of Independence?

Prestige

As guests, the Presidents of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Souza; from Cape Verde, José Maria Neves; and from Guinea Bissau, Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco; the representative of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, Executive Secretary Zacarias da Costa; and Deputy Sérgio José Camunga Pantie, representative of the Presidency of Mozambique. Marcelo Rebelo de Souza gave the last speech of the solemn session.

Among the many foreign authorities, the solemn session also brought together representatives of the embassies and diplomatic corps of Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, France, Ghana, India, Iran, Indonesia, Morocco, Norway, Paraguay, Kingdom of the Netherlands. , United Kingdom, Serbia, East Timor, Australia, Canada, Guatemala, El Salvador, Hungary, Japan, Jordan, Tunisia, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Spain, Georgia, Honduras, Mali, New Zealand , Panama, Kenya , Ukraine and the European Union, Belgium, Singapore and Ghana, Kazakhstan and Peru.

The President of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Luiz Fux, also took the floor, emphasizing the independence between the Powers of the Republic. Also present at the ceremony were Minister STF Dias Toffoli; the President of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Alexandre de Moares; the Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras; the Ministers of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), and the former Presidents of the Republic José Sarney and Michel Temer. Gabriel José de Orléans e Bragança, representative of the head of the Imperial House of Brazil, Dom Bertrand de Orléans e Bragança, was also present.

Tributes

Guests, former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff did not participate in the ceremony, but sent messages justifying their absence and honoring the national civic date. The President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, has canceled his participation in the solemn session. The Chairman of the Special Senate Committee of the Curator for the Bicentenary of Independence, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), apologized to the heads of foreign states for the absence and the message sent by President Bolsonaro. In his speech, Ranfolie said the independence process was not limited to September 7.

“It was broader, more intense and more complex. In this process, our training teaches us that here, in these lands, society has always preceded the state. (…) It was from society that the first bugles of freedom resounded in the 18th century.

For the senator, we must do justice to popular participation, especially female participation:

— Our independence, it is true, had the unique figure of Pedro de Alcântara, who, with less than 35 years of age, managed to become emperor and king of two empires on both sides of the Atlantic, and had José Bonifácio, who designed the nation project. But there is also diagnostic significance with the present day to also note that it was a process led primarily by women, women who did not resign themselves to the roles of wise princesses in the home.

Coordinator of the Special Curator’s Commission, Federal Deputy Enrico Misasi (MDB-SP) highlighted the work promoted in the Chamber for the bicentenary event and underlined the “vocation of unity” inherited from Portugal.

STF President, Minister Luiz Fux also spoke about the union of the two countries.

— Contrary to what one might imagine, Independence marked the beginning of a history of closeness and affinity between Brazil and Portugal. Both nations share cultural and moral values ​​internationally. (…) To celebrate is to remember together. Thus, the commemorations of the bicentenary of Independence reaffirm the commitment of the two nations and the high values ​​of democracy and freedom.

Portugal

With a standing ovation, Portugal’s President Marcelo Rebelo delivered a gripping account of the embryonic history that unites the two countries, highlighting Brazil’s more than 300-year struggle for independence.

Rebelo thanked the Brazilians for their extensive literary, poetic and musical production. He mentioned the more than 200 million Portuguese speakers and the important works that have traveled the world, by names such as Mário de Andrade, Manuel Bandeira, João Cabral de Melo Neto, Jorge Amado, Mario Quintana, Lygia Fagundes Telles, Vinícius de Moraes, Cartola, Luiz Gonzaga, Dorival Caymmi, Tom Jobim, Cazuza, among many others.

— I thank you for the strength of your brother people, spread over all the continents and which now invades Portugal with its embrace. For those Brazilian brothers who arrived there, goes the affection of the Portuguese people.

200 years ago, said Rebelo, “Dom Pedro de Alcântara embodied the beginning of your journey into the future”.

“Today a humble Portuguese shows renewed gratitude, renewed homage, pride for the second century of a journey that is still so far from its end,” said the President of Portugal, asking that Brazil continue to be the homeland of freedom, democracy and justice.

Opening

Flanked by the Dragons of Independence, foreign heads of state scaled the ramp of the National Congress and were received by Presidents Pacheco and Lira in the Dark Room. Then they were taken to the Salão Nobre, where the welcome coffee was offered and the official photo of the event was taken.

The authorities were invited to the official inauguration, in the Dark Room, of the exhibition “200 years of citizenship – The people and the Parliament”, in honor of the Bicentenary of the Independence of Brazil.

The exhibit opened at 10 a.m., with the strip unveiled by Presidents Pacheco and Lira. The exhibition will be open to the public from September 10 to December 1.

After the ceremony, the guests were taken to the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies to participate in the solemn session, which ended with the Hymn of Independence, performed by the Senate Choir.

Agência Senado (Reproduction authorized by reference to Agência Senado)