Damares: compensation to Bolsonaro unmasks the left

The senator Damares Alves (Republicans-DF) said this Tuesday (10.Sep.2024) that “another lie” from the left was unmasked. The congresswoman refers to the compensation that the federal government was condemned on Monday (9.Sep.2024) to pay R$ 15,000 to the former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and former First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro for moral damages.

The event is about the you speak of the president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) about the alleged disappearance of furniture from the Alvorada Palace, the official residence of the President of the Republic. Damares stated in her profile from Threads this Tuesday (10.set) that with the recognition of Justice, “you can appeal as long as you want”. The AGU (Attorney General’s Office) will appeal. Here is the full of the decision (PDF – 54 kB).

“The damage to Michelle and Bolsonaro’s image is done and needs to be repaired”completed the senator.

Understand

Judge Diego Câmara, from TRF-1 (Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region), declared that there was damage to the image and reputation of Bolsonaro and Michelle, since it was proven that the furniture had always been with the Union. According to him, the comments suggesting the couple’s involvement in the diversion of the items go beyond the right to criticize. The AGU (Attorney General’s Office) will appeal.

The process came after Lula declared, on January 12, 2023, that Bolsonaro had taken furniture from Alvorada. “If it was his, he would have been right to take it, but it is a public matter. I don’t know why he has to take the bed away.”, stated at the time.

However, on March 20 of this year, more than 1 year after Lula’s declaration, the Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic) stated that 261 pieces of furniture that had disappeared from the Alvorada Palace had been found. The pieces were in “several different dependencies” of the Presidency of the Republic, including in Alvorada itself.

This is the second time that Bolsonaro has taken legal action over this case. The 1st timeLula charged directly in an action in TJDF (Court of Justice of the Federal District). The court, however, denied the claim for compensation because the action should be filed against the Union and not against Lula himself because the fact concerns public assets. The decision was made by Judge Gláucia Barbosa Rizzo

In April 2023, the federal government spent R$196,770.00 for 5 pieces of furniture and 1 mattress to accommodate Lula and the First Lady, Janja Lula da Silva. The highest amount was paid for a reclining sofa, which cost R$65,140.

“The furniture that was purchased to facilitate the president’s move to the Alvorada Palace was essential to restore the Palace’s interior in accordance with its architectural design, and is not the same as that on the list of lost heritage. It was purchased to restore the Palace’s interior, which had deteriorated, as was shown by journalists.”, said the Planalto Social Communication Secretariat in March.

In addition to compensation, Bolsonaro and Michelle wanted a retraction on the official channels of the Presidency of the Republic and the issuance of a press release. Both requests were denied.

According to the judge, the “the factual narrative presented indicates that the clarifications obtained in the administrative sphere regarding the whereabouts of the assets were timely disclosed on the federal government’s website and also received journalistic coverage in the main communication channels”.