Lula will celebrate his first year in office on a beach in Rio de Janeiro

The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvadisembarked this Tuesday at the Restinga de Marambaia, a Navy base on the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro with paradisiacal beaches exclusively for the military, where he intends to spend a week of rest.

The stay of Lula, his wife, Rosángela ‘Janja’ da Silva, and some family members at the exclusive naval base will coincide with the celebration of the first year of Government of his third term, which took office on January 1, 2023.

Although the decision of the progressive leader to spend the New Year festivities on a beach about 80 kilometers from the city of Rio de Janeiro was not announced or commented on by the Presidency, his arrival at the naval base was reported by the state Agency Brazil.

Brazil’s official news agency also reported that the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency also confirmed Lula’s stay at the Marambaia Restinga until January 3, when he will return to work at the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia.

The information about the trip, however, was anticipated last Friday by the first lady, who, in statements to journalists, stated that, after a year of hard work to “start rebuilding the country”, The president intended to rest for a few days.

“I confess that we are both very tired and that we are going to rest a little before the event on January 8,” stated Janja da Silva in reference to the ceremony planned to commemorate the first anniversary of the day when thousands of far-right radicals invaded the headquarters of the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court to try to force a coup against Lula.

The military base chosen for the president’s rest, where the Army and Air Force also have facilities, has 42 kilometers of beaches with restricted access and is surrounded by still preserved forests of the so-called Atlantic Forest.

La Restinga de Marambaia, where Lula also spent a season of rest in 2006, in the last year of his first term (2003-2006), has also hosted other heads of state, including Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Michel Temer and Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula, who spent the Christmas festivities with his family at the Alvorada Palace, the official residence of the Presidency, also enjoyed some days of rest this year, both during Carnival and on the Corpus Christi holiday, at another base. naval, that of Aratu, located in the state of Bahia (northeast).