Brazilian presidential inauguration
Encyclopedia
The inauguration
of the President of Brazil
is composed of several ceremonies that happen in the same day.
Through democratic
election
s or coups
, resignations and deaths, presidential inaugurations have been important events in Brazilian history
.
The ceremonies had different symbologies at different times.
The only essential part of the inauguration ceremonies, according to Brazil's Federal Constitution, is the taking of the constitutional oath of office before a joint session of the National Congress.
However, other ceremonies, such as a parade leading up to the arrival of the president-elect in Congress, the transfer of the Presidential sash from the former President to the new holder of the office, a presidential reception at night also take place in the case of planned inaugurations.
The ceremonies described below are those observed since Brasilia
became the Federal Capital.
The inauguration parade starts at the National Cathedral
, located at the beginning of Ministries Esplanade
. In front of the National Cathedral, the President-elect and Vice-President-elect take the presidential Rolls Royce
and proceed in parade down the Ministries Esplanade to the National Congress
, while escorted by the Independence Dragoons.
A number of Presidents-elect have chosen to attend Holy Mass at the National Cathedral before the start of the inaugural ceremonies. In that case, a Solemn Mass is scheduled to take place in the Cathedral before the time set for the beginning of the State-sponsored inauguration ceremonies. The President-elect then hears Holy Mass and leaves the National Cathedral at or around the time scheduled for the start of the inauguration parade.
Other Presidents-elect have chosen not to attend Solemn Mass in the Cathedral before the inauguration ceremonies (some have attended no religious service at all, and others, while still attending Mass, opted for a private celebration in the morning of inauguration day instead of a major event in the Cathedral): in that case, instead of proceeding to the Parade from the Cathedral, they simply arrive in front of the Cathedral in their private cars, and at that point enter the presidential State Car for the start of the Parade.
During the parade, the Ceremonial State Cars carrying the President elect and his spouse, the Vice-President elect and his spouse are flanked by a formation of Dragoons from the presidential guard of honor. However, except in the case of a re-elected President and Vice-President, the flagpoles in the Ceremonial State Cars (that usually bear the National Flag and the Presidential or Vice-Presidential Standard) remain empty during that part of the ceremonies, as those being transported are not yet President and Vice-President.
Arriving at the National Congress, the President and Vice-President elect are greeted by the President of the Senate
(the upper house
; the president of the Senate is ex officio the President of Congress, and in that capacity chairs all joint sessions) and the President of the Chamber of Deputies
(the lower house
). Inside the National Congress Palace, a joint session of Congress takes place, and the President-elect and Vice-President-elect take their oaths of office. At that time, immediately upon taking the oaths, they become President
and Vice-President
of the Republic. As soon as the constitutional oaths are taken before the assembled Congress, the new office holders are declared by the President of Congress to be invested in the Presidency and the Vice Presidency of the Republic. The National Anthem
is played as soon as the oaths are taken and the declarative announcement by the President of Congress is made. Once the National Anthem ends, one of the Secretaries of Congress reads out the instrument recording the oaths taken and the investiture of the President and Vice-President in their offices. That instrument, a proces-verbal
of the constitutionally essential part of the inauguration ceremonies, is written in a special investiture book recording the investiture of all Presidents and Vice-Presidents. The new President and the new Vice-President then sign the instrument recording their investiture, and the document is also signed by the President of Congress and the other members of Congress' directing board. Once that deed is signed, the President of Congress invites the President of the Republic to address the joint session. The inaugural address is given, followed by a short speech by the President of Congress, who then closes the proceedings of the joint session.
is immediately fired by the Cayenne Battery
. During the firing of the salute, the National Anthem is again played. A brief military ceremony then takes place outdoors.
As the President is the Commander-in-chief
of the Armed Forces, he is received at the doors of the Palace of Congress by the Presidential Guard Battalion
of the Army
, and by Navy
and Air Force
troops presenting arms.
The President then reviews the troops and salutes their colours. After that, the President and the Vice-President take the ceremonial state cars to the Planalto Palace
, the seat of the presidency of the Republic.
While, except in the case of a re-elected president, on the parade leading up to Congress the car flagpoles were empty, the car flagpoles now display the National Flag and the Presidential Standard or Vice-Presidential Standard.
Arriving at the Planalto Palace
, the new President and Vice-President ascend the entrance ramp (only used in state ceremonies) and are greeted at its top by the former President and by the former Vice-President. The new President and the former President, followed by the new and former Vice-Presidents, then go side by side to the spot where the ceremony of the transfer of the presidential sash is to take place. The former President uses the sash up to the moment when he places it on the shoulder of the new President.
Indoors or, more commonly, in the outdoor Parlatorium of the Planalto Palace, the former President hands over the presidential sash
to the new President. The National Anthem is played for the third time as soon as the sash is placed on the shoulder of the new President.
In the case of a re-elected President, there is, of course, no ceremony for the handing over of the presidential sash. Instead, the re-invested President merely re-assumes the use of the Sash, and that is not done in the Parlatorium, but before the President's arrival there. Two Brazilian Presidents have been re-elected, Fernando Henrique Cardoso
and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
. In Cardoso's case, as soon as he re-entered the Planalto Palace after the joint session in the Palace of Congress, he went indoors, and received the presidential sash in a cushion, from the hands of his Chief of Staff, who placed it on the president's shoulder. The president then went on to present himself at the Parlatorium. In the case of President Lula's reelection, the President received the Sash at the foot of the entrance ramp of the Planalto Palace, and thus entered the palace via the ramp already using the Sash, going directly to the Parlatorium.
In the outdoor Parlatorium the President (new or re elected), already using the Presidential Sash, delivers a public address facing the Three Powers Square where the people are assembled.
In the case of a new President, the speech begins as soon as he has received the Sash from the former President and the National Anthemn has been played, and the former President listens to the speech at the side of the new President. The President then escorts the former President to the main entrance, where he goes down the ramp to an official car that takes him home or to the airport.
members, signing decrees that are counter-signed by the Minister of Justice.
When each decree is signed, the appointed Minister comes forward and signs the investiture book. Once the entire Cabinet has been invested, the general officers chosen as professional commanders of each branch of the Armed Forces (who discharge their duties under the Minister of Defense, a civilian), are appointed and invested by the President, who is ex officio the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Then follows the appointment and investiture of other senior officers of the Executive branch, such as Cabinet-level officials of the Presidency of the Republic.
When the all the Cabinet, the professional commanders of each branch of the Armed Forces and other senior executive officials have been appointed and invested, the President then greets the Heads of State
and Heads of Government
present, as well as the Heads of mission
and other foreign envoys. Then the President greets other Brazilian authorities, such as Supreme Court justices, Congressional leaders and State Governors, as well as representatives of the civil society, such as Brazilian Cardinals, rabbis, etc.
, the presidential residence, or at Brasilia's Itamaraty Palace, the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. This reception is often a ball with dinner, and traditionally the presidential ball was a white-tie event. However, Presidents Lula da Silva and Rousseff have opted for less formal and less lavish parties, and have instead hosted more simple cocktails, to which guests were expected to attend in suit and tie.
had the most popular presidential inauguration in history. Citizens from all corners of Brazil went to the national capital for the inauguration ceremony. There were 3 innovations:
was inaugurated as President of Brazil on January 1, 2011. The event – which was organized by her transitional team, the Ministries of External Relations
and Defense
and the Presidency of the Republic
– was awaited with some expectation, since she became the first woman ever to rule the country. Important female figures in Brazilian history were honored with panels spread across the Monumental Axis
.
Until December 21, 2010, the publishing house of the Senate
had printed 1,229 invitations for Rousseff's inauguration. The National Congress is expecting a total of 2,000 guests for the ceremony. As reported by the press, between 14 and 17 heads of state and government had confirmed their presence. Among them were José Sócrates
, Juan Manuel Santos
, Mauricio Funes
, Alan García, José Mujica
, Hugo Chávez
, Álvaro Colom
, Alpha Condé
, Sebastián Piñera
, Evo Morales
, and Boyko Borisov
. U.S. President Barack Obama
sent Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton
to represent him. Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso
also attend.
In addition to the formal ceremony, Rousseff's inauguration also featured concerts by five female Brazilian singers: Elba Ramalho
, Fernanda Takai
, Mart'nália
and Zélia Duncan
, and Gaby Amarantos. The Ministry of Culture
organized the cultural part of the event, having provided a budget of 1.5 million reais
(around 0.8 million U.S. dollars) for it. The concerts started at 10:00 hours (local time) and stopped at 14:00 hours, with the start of the official inauguration ceremony. The concerts continued at 18:00 hours until 21:00 hours. Rousseff did not attend, as she held a reception at the Itamaraty Palace to foreign authorities which attended her inauguration. Each foreign authority had the opportunity to talk to her for 30 seconds.
The Constitution of 1988
established January 1 as the Inauguration Day.
was the Brazilian capital until the construction of Brasília
in 1960.
The ceremonies were different but had a similar format. They started at Tiradentes Palace (former home of the National Congress) where the President took the oath of office and delivered an inaugural address. He then proceeded in parade to the Catete Palace
(the presidential residence and workplace) in the ceremonial state car. After receiving the presidential sash indoors, in the presence of dignataries and guests assembled in one of the halls of Catete Palace, the President appeared on the balcony and addressed the crowds. The new president then escorted the former President as he left the presidential palace. The appointments, greetings and reception were held at the Catete Palace.
Inauguration
An inauguration is a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of a leader's term of office. An example is the ceremony in which the President of the United States officially takes the oath of office....
of the President of Brazil
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
is composed of several ceremonies that happen in the same day.
Through democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s or coups
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, resignations and deaths, presidential inaugurations have been important events in Brazilian history
History of Brazil
The history of Brazil begins with the arrival of the first indigenous peoples, thousands of years ago by crossing the Bering land bridge into Alaska and then moving south....
.
The ceremonies had different symbologies at different times.
The ceremonies
However, other ceremonies, such as a parade leading up to the arrival of the president-elect in Congress, the transfer of the Presidential sash from the former President to the new holder of the office, a presidential reception at night also take place in the case of planned inaugurations.
The ceremonies described below are those observed since Brasilia
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
became the Federal Capital.
The Inaugural Parade
The president-elect and the vice-president elect ride to Congress, where they are to take the oath of office, in a ceremonial parade.The inauguration parade starts at the National Cathedral
Cathedral of Brasília
The Cathedral of Brasília is the Roman Catholic cathedral serving Brasília, Brazil, and serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Brasília. It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and was completed and dedicated on May 31, 1970...
, located at the beginning of Ministries Esplanade
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
. In front of the National Cathedral, the President-elect and Vice-President-elect take the presidential Rolls Royce
Brazilian Presidential Ceremonial State Car
-Presidential State Car:The state car of Brazil is a Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, which is used by the President of Brazil on ceremonial occasions, such as Independence Day commemorations, state visits and the inauguration of the President-elect...
and proceed in parade down the Ministries Esplanade to the National Congress
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
, while escorted by the Independence Dragoons.
A number of Presidents-elect have chosen to attend Holy Mass at the National Cathedral before the start of the inaugural ceremonies. In that case, a Solemn Mass is scheduled to take place in the Cathedral before the time set for the beginning of the State-sponsored inauguration ceremonies. The President-elect then hears Holy Mass and leaves the National Cathedral at or around the time scheduled for the start of the inauguration parade.
Other Presidents-elect have chosen not to attend Solemn Mass in the Cathedral before the inauguration ceremonies (some have attended no religious service at all, and others, while still attending Mass, opted for a private celebration in the morning of inauguration day instead of a major event in the Cathedral): in that case, instead of proceeding to the Parade from the Cathedral, they simply arrive in front of the Cathedral in their private cars, and at that point enter the presidential State Car for the start of the Parade.
During the parade, the Ceremonial State Cars carrying the President elect and his spouse, the Vice-President elect and his spouse are flanked by a formation of Dragoons from the presidential guard of honor. However, except in the case of a re-elected President and Vice-President, the flagpoles in the Ceremonial State Cars (that usually bear the National Flag and the Presidential or Vice-Presidential Standard) remain empty during that part of the ceremonies, as those being transported are not yet President and Vice-President.
The taking of the oath of office before a joint session of Congress
The Parade ends at foot of the entrance ramp to the Palace of Congress.Arriving at the National Congress, the President and Vice-President elect are greeted by the President of the Senate
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
(the upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
; the president of the Senate is ex officio the President of Congress, and in that capacity chairs all joint sessions) and the President of the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Brazil
The Chamber of Deputies of Brazil is a federal legislative body and the lower house of the National Congress of Brazil. As of 2006, the chamber comprises 513 deputies, who are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms...
(the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
). Inside the National Congress Palace, a joint session of Congress takes place, and the President-elect and Vice-President-elect take their oaths of office. At that time, immediately upon taking the oaths, they become President
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
and Vice-President
Vice-President of Brazil
The Vice President of Brazil is the second-highest ranking government official in the executive branch of the Government of Brazil after the President...
of the Republic. As soon as the constitutional oaths are taken before the assembled Congress, the new office holders are declared by the President of Congress to be invested in the Presidency and the Vice Presidency of the Republic. The National Anthem
Brazilian national anthem
The Brazilian national anthem was composed by Francisco Manuel da Silva in 1831 and had been given at least two sets of unofficial lyrics before a 1922 decree by President Epitácio Pessoa gave the anthem its definitive, official lyrics, by Osório Duque-Estrada, after several changes were made to...
is played as soon as the oaths are taken and the declarative announcement by the President of Congress is made. Once the National Anthem ends, one of the Secretaries of Congress reads out the instrument recording the oaths taken and the investiture of the President and Vice-President in their offices. That instrument, a proces-verbal
Proces-verbal
Procès-verbal is a legal term with a number of meanings:-In law:...
of the constitutionally essential part of the inauguration ceremonies, is written in a special investiture book recording the investiture of all Presidents and Vice-Presidents. The new President and the new Vice-President then sign the instrument recording their investiture, and the document is also signed by the President of Congress and the other members of Congress' directing board. Once that deed is signed, the President of Congress invites the President of the Republic to address the joint session. The inaugural address is given, followed by a short speech by the President of Congress, who then closes the proceedings of the joint session.
The military ceremony
Once the President emerges from the Palace of Congress, he pauses at the top of the front ramp of that palace, and, upon sight of the new Head of State, a 21-gun salute21-gun salute
Gun salutes are the firing of cannons or firearms as a military or naval honor.The custom stems from naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent...
is immediately fired by the Cayenne Battery
Cayenne Battery
The Cayenne Battery of the Brazilian Army is one of three military units that comprise the Brazilian president's honor guard, the others being the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment - "Independence Dragoons" and the Presidential Guard Battalion ."Cayenne Battery" was how the Brazilian colonial troops,...
. During the firing of the salute, the National Anthem is again played. A brief military ceremony then takes place outdoors.
As the President is the Commander-in-chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Armed Forces, he is received at the doors of the Palace of Congress by the Presidential Guard Battalion
Presidential Guard Battalion (Brazil)
The Presidential Guard Battalion is a unit of the Brazilian Army and honor guard to the President of Brazil. Two other units, the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment and the Cayenne Battery, are also part of the presidential honor guard....
of the Army
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
, and by Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
and Air Force
Brazilian Air Force
The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
troops presenting arms.
The President then reviews the troops and salutes their colours. After that, the President and the Vice-President take the ceremonial state cars to the Planalto Palace
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.The main working office of the President...
, the seat of the presidency of the Republic.
While, except in the case of a re-elected president, on the parade leading up to Congress the car flagpoles were empty, the car flagpoles now display the National Flag and the Presidential Standard or Vice-Presidential Standard.
Planalto Palace
Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília, Brazil. As the seat of government, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.The main working office of the President...
, the new President and Vice-President ascend the entrance ramp (only used in state ceremonies) and are greeted at its top by the former President and by the former Vice-President. The new President and the former President, followed by the new and former Vice-Presidents, then go side by side to the spot where the ceremony of the transfer of the presidential sash is to take place. The former President uses the sash up to the moment when he places it on the shoulder of the new President.
Indoors or, more commonly, in the outdoor Parlatorium of the Planalto Palace, the former President hands over the presidential sash
Presidential sash
A presidential sash is a cloth sash worn by presidents of many nations in the world. Such sashes are worn by presidents in Africa, Asia, Europe, and most notably, in Latin America....
to the new President. The National Anthem is played for the third time as soon as the sash is placed on the shoulder of the new President.
In the case of a re-elected President, there is, of course, no ceremony for the handing over of the presidential sash. Instead, the re-invested President merely re-assumes the use of the Sash, and that is not done in the Parlatorium, but before the President's arrival there. Two Brazilian Presidents have been re-elected, Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Fernando Henrique Cardoso – also known by his initials FHC – was the 34th President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for two terms from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2002. He is an accomplished sociologist, professor and politician...
and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
. In Cardoso's case, as soon as he re-entered the Planalto Palace after the joint session in the Palace of Congress, he went indoors, and received the presidential sash in a cushion, from the hands of his Chief of Staff, who placed it on the president's shoulder. The president then went on to present himself at the Parlatorium. In the case of President Lula's reelection, the President received the Sash at the foot of the entrance ramp of the Planalto Palace, and thus entered the palace via the ramp already using the Sash, going directly to the Parlatorium.
In the outdoor Parlatorium the President (new or re elected), already using the Presidential Sash, delivers a public address facing the Three Powers Square where the people are assembled.
In the case of a new President, the speech begins as soon as he has received the Sash from the former President and the National Anthemn has been played, and the former President listens to the speech at the side of the new President. The President then escorts the former President to the main entrance, where he goes down the ramp to an official car that takes him home or to the airport.
First duties
The first duty of the new President is to appoint the Minister of Justice and the rest of the Cabinet. Thus, when the former President has left, the new President goes indoors and enters a hall of the Planalto Palace where his future Cabinet and several gests are already waiting. There the investiture of the President's Cabinet takes place. The President first signs a decree appointing the Minister of Justice. The appointed Minister then comes forward to sign the investiture book. After the Minister of Justice signs the investiture book, the President proceeds to appoint the remainder of the CabinetCabinet of Brazil
The Cabinet of Brazil is composed of the Ministers of State and senior advisors of the executive branch of the federal government of Brazil. Cabinet officers are appointed and dismissed by the President. There are currently twenty-four Ministries of State and fourteen other cabinet-level...
members, signing decrees that are counter-signed by the Minister of Justice.
When each decree is signed, the appointed Minister comes forward and signs the investiture book. Once the entire Cabinet has been invested, the general officers chosen as professional commanders of each branch of the Armed Forces (who discharge their duties under the Minister of Defense, a civilian), are appointed and invested by the President, who is ex officio the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Then follows the appointment and investiture of other senior officers of the Executive branch, such as Cabinet-level officials of the Presidency of the Republic.
When the all the Cabinet, the professional commanders of each branch of the Armed Forces and other senior executive officials have been appointed and invested, the President then greets the Heads of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and Heads of Government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
present, as well as the Heads of mission
Head of Mission
In diplomatic usage, Head of Mission or Chief of Mission from the French "Chef de Mission Diplomatique" is the generic term used to refer to the head of a diplomatic representation, such as an Ambassador, High Commissioner, Nuncio, Chargé d'affaires, Permanent Representative, and sometimes to a...
and other foreign envoys. Then the President greets other Brazilian authorities, such as Supreme Court justices, Congressional leaders and State Governors, as well as representatives of the civil society, such as Brazilian Cardinals, rabbis, etc.
Reception
At the night of the inauguration, the President holds a formal reception at the Alvorada PalacePalácio da Alvorada
The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The palace was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated on June 30, 1958.The name comes from the quote of Juscelino Kubitschek:or, in English:-Architecture:...
, the presidential residence, or at Brasilia's Itamaraty Palace, the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. This reception is often a ball with dinner, and traditionally the presidential ball was a white-tie event. However, Presidents Lula da Silva and Rousseff have opted for less formal and less lavish parties, and have instead hosted more simple cocktails, to which guests were expected to attend in suit and tie.
Inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
President Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
had the most popular presidential inauguration in history. Citizens from all corners of Brazil went to the national capital for the inauguration ceremony. There were 3 innovations:
- ConcertConcertA concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s before the ceremony for those who arrived early. One main stage at Square of the Three PowersPraça dos Três PoderesPraça dos Três Poderes is a plaza in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto ; the Legislative represented by the Congresso Nacional ; and the Judiciary,...
and others around the Ministries Esplanade. - Projection screenProjection screenA projection screen is an installation consisting of a surface and a support structure used for displaying a projected image for the view of an audience. Projection screens may be permanently installed, as in a movie theater; painted on the wall; or semi-permanent or mobile, as in a conference room...
s were placed around the Ministries Esplanade and secondary rooms of National Congress and Planalto Palace, allowing everyone to follow the televised ceremony. - A second presidential parade was held after the ceremony, for the President to pass trough the crowds and greet them.
Inauguration of Dilma Rousseff
Dilma RousseffDilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
was inaugurated as President of Brazil on January 1, 2011. The event – which was organized by her transitional team, the Ministries of External Relations
Ministry of External Relations (Brazil)
The Ministry of External Relations conducts Brazil's foreign relations with other countries. It is commonly referred to in Brazilian media and diplomatic jargon as the Itamaraty, after the palace which hosts the ministry...
and Defense
Ministry of Defence (Brazil)
The Ministry of Defence of Brazil, is the civilian cabinet organization responsible for managing the Military of Brazil. It is headed by the Minister of Defence....
and the Presidency of the Republic
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
– was awaited with some expectation, since she became the first woman ever to rule the country. Important female figures in Brazilian history were honored with panels spread across the Monumental Axis
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
.
Until December 21, 2010, the publishing house of the Senate
Senate of Brazil
The Federal Senate of Brazil is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. Created by the first Constitution of the Brazilian Empire in 1824, it was inspired by the United Kingdom's House of Lords, but with the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889 it became closer to the United States...
had printed 1,229 invitations for Rousseff's inauguration. The National Congress is expecting a total of 2,000 guests for the ceremony. As reported by the press, between 14 and 17 heads of state and government had confirmed their presence. Among them were José Sócrates
José Sócrates
José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH , commonly known by José Sócrates , is a Portuguese politician who was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 12 March 2005 to 21 June 2011....
, Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
, Mauricio Funes
Mauricio Funes
Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena is the President of El Salvador. He won the 2009 presidential election as the candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front political party and took office on 1 June 2009.-Biography:Funes is married to Dr. Vanada Pignado, who was involved in...
, Alan García, José Mujica
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
, Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom Caballeros is the President of Guatemala for the 2008–2012 term and leader of the social-democratic National Unity of Hope .-Early years:...
, Alpha Condé
Alpha Condé
Alpha Condé is a Guinean politician who has been President of Guinea since December 2010. He was a political science professor at the University of Paris and spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against President Lansana Conté in the 1993 and...
, Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
, Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, and Boyko Borisov
Boyko Borisov
Boyko Metodiev Borisov is a Bulgarian politician who has been Prime Minister of Bulgaria since July 2009. Previously he was Mayor of Sofia from 8 November 2005 until his election as Prime Minister....
. U.S. President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
sent Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
to represent him. Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
also attend.
In addition to the formal ceremony, Rousseff's inauguration also featured concerts by five female Brazilian singers: Elba Ramalho
Elba ramalho
Elba Ramalho, is a Brazilian songwriter, performer, poet and actress. She is sometimes called "The Queen of Forró"....
, Fernanda Takai
Fernanda Takai
Fernanda Barbosa Takai is a Brazilian singer, better known as the lead vocalist of rock band Pato Fu...
, Mart'nália
Mart'nália
Martnália Mendonça Ferreira, known as Mart'nália is a singer, songwriter and percussionist Brazilian.-Career:...
and Zélia Duncan
Zélia Duncan
Zélia Duncan , born Zélia Cristina Gonçalves Moreira, is a Brazilian singer and composer.-Biography:Zélia was born in Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. She moved with her family to Brasília, where she lived for 16 years...
, and Gaby Amarantos. The Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture (Brazil)
The Ministry of Culture of Brazil was created in 1985.-External links:*...
organized the cultural part of the event, having provided a budget of 1.5 million reais
Brazilian real
The real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos ....
(around 0.8 million U.S. dollars) for it. The concerts started at 10:00 hours (local time) and stopped at 14:00 hours, with the start of the official inauguration ceremony. The concerts continued at 18:00 hours until 21:00 hours. Rousseff did not attend, as she held a reception at the Itamaraty Palace to foreign authorities which attended her inauguration. Each foreign authority had the opportunity to talk to her for 30 seconds.
Inauguration Day
From 1889 to 1930, the inauguration ceremony was held on November 15. It was later changed to January 31, and then to March 15.The Constitution of 1988
Constitution of Brazil
During its independent political history, Brazil has had seven constitutions. The most recent was ratified on October 5, 1988.-Imperial Constitution :Background...
established January 1 as the Inauguration Day.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
was the Brazilian capital until the construction of Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
in 1960.
The ceremonies were different but had a similar format. They started at Tiradentes Palace (former home of the National Congress) where the President took the oath of office and delivered an inaugural address. He then proceeded in parade to the Catete Palace
Catete Palace
The Catete Palace is an urban mansion in Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo neighborhood. The property stretches from Rua do Catete to Praia do Flamengo. From 1894 to 1960, it was Brazil's presidential palace and the site of Getulio Vargas' suicide. It now houses the Museu da República and a theatre...
(the presidential residence and workplace) in the ceremonial state car. After receiving the presidential sash indoors, in the presence of dignataries and guests assembled in one of the halls of Catete Palace, the President appeared on the balcony and addressed the crowds. The new president then escorted the former President as he left the presidential palace. The appointments, greetings and reception were held at the Catete Palace.