The stance of the governor of the Federal District, Ibaneis Rocha, in fighting the fire that has bothered the federal government.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), according to government advisors, expected firmer action from the district manager despite the environmental reserve being federal.
On Sunday (15), when the fire started, the e called an emergency meeting with the Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva. The governor was in São Paulo and only returned to the Federal District on Monday (16).
According to local government advisors, Ibaneis gave orders remotely and, upon arriving in the federal capital, announced the suspension of firefighters’ vacations.
On Tuesday (17), however, the person who conducted the press interview about the fire situation was not the governor, but vice-governor Celina Leão.
For Lula’s aides, the gravity of the episode demands greater protagonism and presence from the governor.
Planalto’s discomfort reached Ibaneis, who expressed himself on social media. The governor stated that the president reveals “ignorance” and “insensitivity”.
“It reveals not only ignorance, but also insensitivity towards the effective work of the Brasília Fire Department, Civil Defense and other agents involved”, wrote the governor.
“The president, as a transient resident of Brasília, must be concerned about explaining the incapacity and precariousness of federal agencies in regions where they should be more present. Neglect even with the National Park, which despite being a federal area, continues to be ignored by federal authorities, leaving the Federal District alone in the task of preserving it,” he wrote.
The Communication Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic refuted Ibaneis’s speech about the supposed criticism related to the work of firefighters. In a statement, he said that the governor’s publication was based on the publication of false information.
“The president has – repeatedly – extolled the work of firefighters and the importance of strengthening the number of firefighters, brigade members and Civil Defense in states and municipalities”, says the text.
Shortly afterwards, President Lula himself denied any criticism of the firefighters’ work.
“They invented my speech and now they are creating false controversies. To make it clear: I only have gratitude and admiration for the work of the brigade members, civil defense and firefighters from all over Brazil in fighting fires. We need to give them better working conditions”, he posted on social media.
It is not the first time that Lula and Ibaneis have been on a collision course. After the attacks on January 8, for example, the president criticized the governor for his slow reaction to the destruction on the Esplanada dos Ministérios.
The governor was removed from office by order of Federal Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes, but later returned to his role.
At the event in defense of democracy, in January this year, the governor did not attend because he was on vacation abroad.
