The president of the Senate and the National Congress, Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP), made an appeal for peace and responsibility in political dialogue, when opening the legislative year in a solemn session this Monday (2). The act marks the resumption of work in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Federal Senate.
The last authority to speak among those present, Alcolumbre gave a speech with a more political than programmatic tone, in which he defended maturity in coexistence between differences.
“We need, more than ever, dialogue, common sense and peace. Peace between groups that defend different ideologies. Peace between national institutions, peace between the Powers of the Republic”, he pointed out.
Then, however, he noted that defending peace does not mean giving up the rule of law and parliamentary prerogatives.
“Defending peace has never been and will never be synonymous with omission. Our desire for peace does not mean that we are afraid of fighting. Our fight is and always will be in defense of all Brazilians. Our fight is for the Rule of Law, our fight is for parliamentary prerogatives and for the authority of the Brazilian National Congress. We will never give up on these values and these battles.”
President of Congress, senator Davi Alcolumbre, the president of the Chamber, deputy Hugo Motta, the president of the STF, Edson Fachin, and the minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, participate in the session to reopen the work of the National Congress – Brazil Agency
The president of the Senate argued that Brazil’s strength lies in its diversity, both in origins, ideas, cultures and world views.
“This diversity challenges us, but it also enriches us as a society, but, above all, as a nation. Dissent is part of democracy, disagreement is part of politics. Debate is part of public life, but we need to state responsibly: dissent cannot turn into hate, disagreement can never turn into violence.”
Alcolumbre also stated that when there are tensions in Brazil, it is in the Legislative Branch that the country recovers itself.
“We will continue to be a legitimate space for political mediation, where differences coexist with respect and responsibility. This is the commitment I assume as president of the National Congress: not to expand conflicts, but to help resolve them. Not to encourage extremism, but to build possible consensus. Not to run away from the tensions typical of democratic life, but to treat them seriously and, above all, with maturity.”
Finally, Alcolumbre stated that the National Congress will exercise its powers independently, always seeking dialogue with the Executive and the Judiciary.
“Each Power has its function, each Power its role. It is from mutual respect between them that the stability that Brazil needs is born.”
Regarding the legislative work itself, the president of Congress mentioned the income tax (IR) exemption for workers who earn up to R$5,000, which came into force this year. According to him, this was confronting a historical distortion.
“We are effectively talking about millions of workers who feel the weight of every bill, every purchase and every installment every day. By guaranteeing this exemption, the Brazilian National Congress made a clear choice: protect those who live off their salaries and charge a little more from those who naturally can do more.”
