Lula Tribute at Sapucaí Prompts New Opposition Filings After TSE Allowed Parade

Overview

• The Electoral Court rejected preemptive bids to block Acadêmicos de Niterói’s homage to President Lula, stressing that any illicit electoral acts would be judged after the parade.
• Senator Flávio Bolsonaro said he will file a new action at the TSE, joining a wave of opposition complaints that also cite alleged ridicule of religious conservatives.
• Lula watched from Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes’s box, briefly greeted the school on the avenue, left the Sambadrome at 4:53 a.m., and later posted tributes to all four schools that performed.
• Under guidance from the federal attorney general’s office, ministers did not parade, the first lady Janja withdrew at the last minute, and Embratur chief Marcelo Freixo stayed off the homage.
• Funding remains under scrutiny as each Grupo Especial school received R$1 million via a Liesa repasse from Embratur, while Niterói had Rouanet authorization for R$5.1 million it did not use and a TCU relator declined to halt the Embratur transfer.