With House Speaker Hugo Motta traveling to the United States and Senate President David Alcolumbre accompanying President Lula on a trip to China, Congress is expected to have a quiet week, with no plenary sessions and only remote voting in committees. Amid a weakened government coalition and opposition pressure to investigate INSS fraud and push an amnesty bill for those involved in the 8 January riots, Alcolumbre has gained political ground with the government by negotiating intermediate solutions with the Supreme Court and expanding his influence. One of these initiatives is a new, more limited amnesty bill aimed at reducing penalties for protesters deemed to have been manipulated, but it faces resistance from President Lula himself. Meanwhile, the House approved a bill to increase the number of deputies from 513 to 531, sparking controversy among states. Also, this week, Lula went against the Workers’ Party (PT) and granted a political favor to Hugo Motta by appointing a close ally of the deputy to the Regional Electoral Court of Paraíba (TRE-PB), in a move to improve political coordination and rebuild the government’s support base in Congress.
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Empty Week
With the presidents of the House, Hugo Motta (Republicans), and Senate, David Alcolumbre (Union Brazil), outside the country, the week should be empty in Congress. The House will not have sessions in plenary, with committees working in a semi-presential scheme, i.e., parliamentarians can stay on their electoral bases and vote projects remotely. Motta will participate in a forum in New York, in the United States, where he will be accompanied by other parliamentarians, as well as governors. Meanwhile, Alcolumbre accompanies President Lula (PT) on a trip to China.
Nod for Hugo Motta
President Lula decided to contradict the PT and grant Federal Chamber President Hugo Motta (Republicans) a political appointment. On Wednesday (07/05), Lula appointed lawyer Rodrigo Clemente de Brito Pereira as the new head judge for the Paraíba Regional Electoral Court (TRE-PB). Motta defended Rodrigo Clemente’s choice and made Planalto Palace the preference for the candidate, the most voted in the triple list, with 18 votes. The positive gesture to Motta occurs at a time when the President of the Republic tries to trim the edges with Congress, improve the government’s political articulation, and recompose the allied base after the resignation of Minister Carlos Lupi of the Ministry of Social Security, removed from the INSS due to a recent corruption scandal, which annoyed the PDT, a historical ally of the PT.
Alcolumbre Gains Space
Faced with the opposition’s offensive to investigate INSS fraud that could damage the Planalto Palace and approve an amnesty project for the January 8 rioters, Senate President David Alcolumbre (União Brasil) is gaining ground in the government. The collaborative relationship between Lula and Alcolumbre, as allies of both, aims to gather mutual dividends. On one hand, the president ensures protection for his government in the face of volatile support in Congress. On the other hand, the Senate President shows prestige by appointing allies to different spheres of public administration and becoming a constant presence in official visits to heads of state.
Stitching with the STF
It was also up to Alcolumbre to cool discussions about granting forgiveness to those involved in the 8 January acts, convicted by the Supreme Federal Court (STF). The opposition in Congress, under the influence of Bolsonaro, wanted to maneuver to benefit the former president, which had displeased both the Planalto and the Court. After signs that House Speaker Hugo Motta (Republicans-PB) was bothered by the pressure from opponents, Alcolumbre took the lead in negotiations, stitching together an agreement with Supreme Court members for an intermediate solution—providing only a reduction in penalties, limited to those considered manipulable actors. The new text, not yet presented, must be proposed by the Senate President himself.
New Amnesty Project
Although it is being presented as a more palatable alternative to the broad amnesty proposed in the House, the bill led by Senate President David Alcolumbre (União Brasil) to reduce penalties for the January 8 protesters has not pleased all sides—on the contrary. The biggest opponent of the project in the government is President Lula himself, who is against any type of amnesty and sees Alcolumbre’s initiative as a way to complicate things while pretending to offer a solution. The idea is to toughen penalties for those who led the attempted coup and reduce the sentences of those considered “mass of maneuver.”
Increase in the Number of Deputies
The House of Representatives approved a bill that increased the number of parliamentarians by 18, bringing the total from 513 to 531. According to the proposal, the annual impact is R$ 64.6 million, which would be covered by reallocating funds already provided in the budget. There were 270 votes in favor and 207 against. The text now goes to the Senate. The article is controversial and divides even members of the same party. Parliamentarians from Rio de Janeiro, for example, supported the proposal to avoid losing seats. Meanwhile, deputies from São Paulo opposed it, as the state would not see an increase in its number of representatives, due to the constitutional limit of 70 seats per state.
Analysis:
The political movements of the week reflect a moment of strategic repositioning in Brasília, marked by institutional calm but intense behind-the-scenes negotiations. The absence of the presidents of both legislative houses allowed for a pause in formal activities while reinforcing the growing role of Senate President David Alcolumbre as an informal articulator of the government’s interests. His proximity to President Lula and his role in mediating the controversy over the amnesty for the 8 January rioters signal his ability to operate as a stabilizing force amid growing polarization, while also expanding his political capital.
The dispute over the amnesty project exemplifies the internal contradictions of the government’s base and the fragility of Lula’s coalition. While the government seeks to isolate more radical sectors of the opposition, the proposal led by Alcolumbre attempts to create a legal compromise that separates coup leaders from manipulated demonstrators. However, the president’s firm stance against any amnesty reveals a desire to uphold institutional accountability and a concern with how leniency could be perceived politically and internationally.
Sources: O Globo [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]; A Folha de SP [1], [2].
