The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, canceled this Thursday his presence in the solemn session of the Brazilian Congress to celebrate the 200 years of the independence of Brazil.

The information was provided by TV Senado, which broadcasts live the arrival of the invited authorities such as the leaders of Portugal, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde and the representatives of other countries of the Communiqué of the Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

We received information that the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, canceled his participation here today,” said TV Senado.

The cancellation comes a day after the presidents of Congress, Rodrigo Pacheco, and the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, missed Wednesday’s parade in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, according to Folha de São Paulo. The solemn session with a celebration table would be made up of Rodrigo Pacheco, Arthur Lira, the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, the Portuguese head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the first secretary of the National Congress Table, deputy Luciano Bivar.

The information that the Brazilian president had canceled his presence at the formal session came just under 20 minutes before the official ceremony, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (2:00 p.m. in Lisbon) to begin, and took the the summit of the Congress, and even the table of festivities and other guests, who were waiting for their presence. Folha de São Paulo said that the Brazilian president made a live broadcast on social networks until minutes before the scheduled time for the start of the ceremony.

During the ceremony the Portuguese head of state will speak. Jair Bolsonaro should also speak.

This cancellation comes a day after the Brazilian president participated in the largest bicentennial parades of independence in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, which Jair Bolsonaro accused of having turned into a political rally, less than a month before the presidential elections. , and which were the target of much criticism from most political sectors.

The Portuguese head of state, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, witnessed the civic-military parade on September 7, on the Esplanada dos Ministérios, right in the center of the gallery, along with Bolsonaro.

President of the Senate Bicentennial Commission apologizes for the absence of Bolsonaro

The president of the bicentennial commission of the Brazilian Senate apologized to the foreign heads of state, including Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, for the unjustified absence and the lack of a message from the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro.

I apologize to the heads of state and foreign diplomatic missions for the absence and failure to send any message from the current magistrate of the State of the Nation,” said Randolfe Rodrigues.

Addressing several personalities from the three Brazilian powers and also before the heads of state of Portugal, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde and the representatives of other countries of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), Randolfe Rodrigues affirmed that “The celebration of September 7 is for everyone, not for a faction, for a part”.

“We lost the path that was given to us,” he said.

The leader of the opposition in the Senate and one of the coordinators of Lula da Silva’s presidential campaign also read a message from the former Brazilian president.

“My outrage is even greater and I think that of all the people of this country is even greater when a national date that should celebrate the union of all Brazilians is used by some to sow hatred and attack democracy. Democracy, in these 200 years, the greatest achievement we have had”, he declared.