Lula and his ministers attend the parade; the public chants 'no amnesty'

To chants of "no amnesty" and "sovereignty is not negotiable" from the crowd, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the Independence Day civic-military parade on Sunday, the 7th, at the Esplanade of Ministries in Brasília. The event began around 9:20 a.m. According to the Presidency's Social Communications Secretariat (Secom), the estimated attendance was 45,000 people throughout the Esplanade.

Lula and First Lady Janja da Silva arrived at the Esplanada in an open-top car, the presidential Rolls-Royce traditionally used in official ceremonies, after reviewing the troops near the Planalto Palace.

Upon arriving at the authorities' platform, the president and first lady were received by the Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro, and the commanders of the three Armed Forces.

This year, the parade takes place amid the bilateral crisis between Brazil and the United States, sparked by US President Donald Trump, who imposed trade tariffs on Brazilian products to pressure the country to support former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently being tried by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) for attempted coup d'état and abolishing the rule of law. The trial is expected to conclude this week.

Bolsonaro's allies and opposition parties are trying, at all costs , to push an amnesty bill through the National Congress to free the former president, his allies, and those who participated in the January 8, 2023, protests from any responsibility for the coup plot.

Because of this context, the main theme of this year's parade is precisely the country's sovereignty. Three other themes comprise other wings of the parade, two of them titled "Brazil of Brazilians" and "Brazil of the Future." A third theme addresses the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), to be held in Belém in November, and the New Growth Acceleration Program (PAC).

The event organizers distributed caps with the phrase “Sovereign Brazil,” and the decorations in the stands also carried the same message.

Security at the Esplanada and Praça dos Três Poderes was also reinforced, both for the parade and to ensure the progress of the trial of the coup plot in the Supreme Court.

On Saturday the 6th, the eve of Independence Day, Lula, in a speech to the nation , highlighted the importance of national sovereignty and the unity of Brazilians in defending democracy, the environment, and the country's institutions. The address was broadcast on national radio and television.

The parade on the Esplanada dos Ministérios, which concluded with the traditional display of the Smoke Squadron, lasted approximately two hours. In addition to several military wings and an aerial parade, the presentation featured public school students and security forces from the Federal District.