At the beginning of his term, Lula even accused Bolsonaro and Michelle of having “taken everything” and spent R$196,000 to repurchase ‘lost’ pieces
20 mar
2024
– 15h37
(updated on 3/21/2024 at 10:10 am)
The Palácio da Alvorada, in Brasília, is the official residence of the Presidency of the Republic
Photo: Valter Campanato/Agência Brasil / Estadão
After a long season of ‘furniture war’, the government found that no furniture or assets from the Palácio do Alvorada’s heritage were lost between the last change of mandate. Previously, 261 assets had been reported missing. Lula went so far as to blame the Bolsonaro family for having “taken everything” and spent R$196,700 to restore the luxury pieces, until now, considered lost. The information is from Folha de S. Paulo.
The survey of the Palácio da Alvorada’s heritage for the period 2022, carried out by the Annual Inventory Commission of the Presidency of the Republic, was carried out in three stages. Preliminarily, 261 assets were listed as not located. Then, in early 2023, a new conference reduced the number of missing assets to 83.
Until, as obtained by Sheetin September last year, the work was completed and the government found that no furniture or assets belonging to the Palace were lost.
To the Terrathe Presidency’s Social Communication Secretariat (Secom) reported that the items were found in “various areas of the official residence”, without providing further details.
“In other words, there was a disregard for where these pieces of furniture were, requiring an effort to locate them all again”, the note adds.
Furthermore, Secom reinforces that the assets acquired by Lula became part of the Union’s assets and will be used by future heads of state who reside there. The acquisitions are also registered, with reasons and justifications available on the National Public Procurement Portal — where it is possible to access the documents of bids and contracts it’s from direct hiring.
remember
In January 2023, President Lula did not move to the Palace due to the situation of the residence, left by former president Jair Bolsonaro. The first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, showed damage found at the Palácio da Alvorada, in Brasília, in an interview with GloboNews. The highlights were torn carpets and sofas, damaged flooring, infiltration and, until then, the absence of some furniture and works of art.
Torn carpet and missing works: Janja shows damage to Palácio do Alvorada
Lula and Janja moved to Alvorada only on February 6 last year, after the place was renovated. In this regard, Lula’s government spent around R$196,000 on purchasing a bed, two sofas, two armchairs and a king size mattress for the Palácio da Alvorada, according to data obtained by Folha de S. Paulo through the Access to Information Law, last April.
“The absence of furniture and the poor state of maintenance found in Alvorada’s furniture required the acquisition of some items. The furniture acquired now forms part of the Union’s heritage and will be used by future heads of state who reside there”, informed Secom, in note at the time.
After Lula and Jajna’s purchases, without mentioning names, former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro nudged the couple regarding spending at Palácio da Alvorada: “The furniture is there. But, unfortunately, those who preach humility, simplicity, they don’t want to live simply, mocking and playing with taxpayers’ money.” In the end, Michelle Bolsonaro joked about asking for a ‘CPI of Alvorada’s furniture’.
She also gave her version of the disappearance of certain items, explaining that what was removed from Alvorada by her and former president Jair Bolsonaro came from the house in Rio de Janeiro where the family lived before the presidency.
Michelle added that she was informed by Marcela Temer, also a former first lady, about the possibility of using furniture from her own house in the location, after her husband won the elections. The request to take the decoration of the living room and bedrooms to Brasília would have come from Laura, the couple’s daughter.
Regarding the furniture that was in Alvorada, at the time she commented that they were sent to the presidency’s warehouse – where there are options of furniture and decorations that can be used in the palace.
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