Camila Escalante
Press TV, Sao Paulo
Brazil is less than a week away from Lula da Silva’s return to the presidency and preparations are underway for a massive festival in Brasilia which will be held alongside the official events.
Tens of thousands of members of social movements and Lula supporters from around the country are preparing to travel to the capital, many of whom will be camping out to celebrate the new government at the ‘Festival of the Future’ for which dozens of Brazilian artists have confirmed their performances.
There is both a sense of excitement and tension as protests against the incoming government, by supporters of outgoing Jair Bolsonaro, are expected. Despite multiple thwarted plots - called terror plots by the incoming government - people are determined to make their way to Brasilia.
The presidential transition is advancing and President-elect Lula has been making known some of his ministerial appointments.
Among the most notable are singer, songwriter and actress Margareth Menezes who’ll take on the role of Ministry of Culture, Lawyer and writer Silvio Almeida who’ll serve as Minister of Human Rights. Lula’s former environmental minister Marina Silva will take another turn heading the ministry.
Sources close to Jair Bolsonaro say that he will not be handing off the presidential sash to Lula da Silva and will be departing this month for an extended vacation at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in the United States.