Hope returns in Brazilian culture wars

We are but weeks into Lula’s Brazilian presidency, and already there is much drama and a clear shift towards a more culture-focused approach. One of the first steps of the new government was to reinstate the culture ministry, which had been dissolved into another department under previous president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has appointed popular Bahian singer Margareth Menezes as the minister of culture in a move similar to his appointment of Gilberto Gil in 2003 during his first term as president. Menezes rose to popularity during the crazes for axé and samba-reggae in the 80s and 90s, and has remained a prominent figure since, founding the Brazilian Afro-pop movement and setting up NGOs to help young people with a variety of issues.

An event called Festival do Futuro was then planned for Lula’s inauguration at the Palácio da Alvorada in Brasília on January 1. The occasion boasted an enviable line-up of musicians including BaianaSystem, Pabllo Vittar, Martinho da Vila, Luedji Luna and Menezes on two stages that were named in tribute to Gal Costa and Elza Soares, both singers who passed away in 2022.

Unfortunately, the palace was home to very different scenes a week later, on January 8, when pro-Bolsonaro supporters stormed the palace, as well as the Congress building, causing considerable damage to the buildings and grounds. In response, the military detained 1,500 supporters. Since Lula’s election victory, Bolsonaristas had been camping outside various military and government buildings across Brazil in opposition to Lula’s victory; these camps have all now been broken up.

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