Lula takes on Palocci's defense.
"No way to put Pel on the bench," says the president, who had dinner yesterday with Dilma and the minister.
At the height of the crisis involving the Chief of Staff, Antonio Palocci, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva effectively took over the political coordination of Dilma Rousseff's government. Lula had lunch yesterday with PT senators, dinner with Dilma and Palocci at the Alvorada Palace, gave orders for the defense of the minister, and today will have breakfast at the home of the Senate President, José Sarney (PMDB-AP), with leaders of the allied base in Congress.
“They are testing Dilma’s government. They wanted to create conflict between me and her, and they didn’t succeed. Now, if the government hands over Palocci’s head, it will be making a big mistake. You can’t put Pelé on the bench,” said Lula, according to accounts from three senators who participated in the lunch with the former president at the home of Gleisi Hoffmann (PT-PR) and the Minister of Communications, Paulo Bernardo.
Concerned about the prolonged crisis, Lula outlined a strategy for reaction, but heard complaints about the lack of political coordination from the Presidential Palace. Members of the Workers' Party told him that, with Palocci targeted by accusations of multiplying his assets and suspected influence peddling, the situation had only worsened. Dissatisfied, they complained not only about the slow pace of assembling the second tier of government but also about the absence of dialogue and arguments to defend Palocci and the government.
Lula showed himself willing to fill the political vacuum, but away from the spotlight, behind the scenes. He said he would talk to Dilma, Palocci, and the Minister of Institutional Relations, Luiz Sérgio. "This complaint is justified, and we will improve the dialogue," stated the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Gilberto Carvalho.