Lula quickly took the first steps to turn the page on Jair Bolsonaro. Barely invested, Brazil’s new president has signed decrees to limit the use of weapons or even increase protection of the Amazon, contrary to the government of his predecessor.
In the 24 hours after his inauguration in the capital on Sunday, the icon of the left began to implement some of her campaign promises. A look back at the most important decisions of the new President:
Weapon Restrictions
Through a decree published Monday in the Gazette, Lula suspended the re-registration of hunter-gatherers and sport shooters (collectively known as the CAC) for firearms and ammunition for two months. This category has tripled its arsenal in Bolsonaro’s four-year tenure to reach one million registered weapons.
Lula also restricted the ability to purchase guns and ammunition for certain approved uses and suspended the issuance of new licenses for CACs and new registrations for shooting clubs and schools. The President has also set up a working group to propose new rules for the Disarmament Act, in force since 2003 and his then first administration, aimed at disarming civilians.
Measures to combat deforestation
The new head of state also signed a series of decrees aimed at strengthening the protection of the Amazon, whose average annual deforestation has increased by 75% compared to the previous decade. In particular, Lula established a “permanent inter-ministerial commission for the prevention and control of deforestation” and decided to reactivate the Amazon Fund, created in 2008, to raise funds for investments in the forest with a view to its conservation.
This fund had been frozen since 2019 due to disagreements over where the money should be used between Norway and Germany, the main donors, and the Bolsonaro government. These two countries have announced their intention to replenish it.
Lula also revoked a decree authorizing mining on indigenous lands and in conservation areas.
increase in the minimum wage
On Sunday, in the midst of the investiture ceremony, Lula signed a decree to expand the popular Bolsa Familia program, which pays 600 reais ($120) a month to the poorest families. He also signed an increase in the minimum wage from 1,212 to 1,320 reais (around 230 euros), a decision that had not yet been published in the Official Journal on Monday.
About 125 million of the country’s 215 million Brazilians are food insecure and 30 million are hungry.
Privatization stopped
Lula halted the Bolsonaro-led privatization process of eight public companies, including oil company Petrobras and Brazil Post. He also warned during the campaign that he does not want public groups to be privatized.