The newly sworn-in president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the first lady, Janja Lula da Silva, arrived at the Itamaraty Palace at 9:00 pm for the last stage of the official inauguration protocol, a cocktail with foreign authorities and other guests of the presidential couple. They were welcomed by the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira.
In a quick exchange of words with journalists, Lula said that he no longer intends to restrict the space for the press outside the Palácio da Alvorada, the official residence of the Presidency of the Republic. “There will no longer be a playpen,” said the president, referring to the fence that remained in place throughout the government of Jair Bolsonaro.
There was a delay of about an hour and a half in Lula’s arrival in relation to the official schedule, and some foreign authorities decided not to wait for the arrival of the Brazilian representative. This was the case of the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who said he had a bilateral meeting with Lula at 12:00 tomorrow (2).
The first lady arrived at the cocktail party wearing a long blue-toned dress, an outfit other than a blazer and pants, designed by stylist Helô Rocha, worn by her during the previous stages of her inauguration, in Congress and at the Planalto Palace.
In addition to the 18 heads of state who came to Brasília to participate in the official inauguration ceremony, guests such as minister Alexandre de Moraes, president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), also attended the cocktail party. The minister, who is also a member of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), was applauded upon arrival.
Vice-president Geraldo Alckmin and the second lady, Lu Alckmin, also attend the cocktail at Itamaraty. No speeches or interviews are planned.
The cocktail menu features Brazilian delicacies such as feijoada balls, acarajé and tapioca pudding. Other dishes are cassava mojica, tapioca churros with vatapá, carreteiro rice with egg and PANCs and piracuí balls. Among the chefs who participated in the creation of the menu are Nara Amaral, Kalymaracaya Nogueira, Morena Leite, Paulo Machado and Saulo Jennings.
