Hugo Motta: Radicalization in Congress has intensified and calls for focus on “real Brazil”

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), stated this Wednesday (5) that political radicalization has deepened in the National Congress and that the division between government and opposition has made it difficult to build consensus around the country’s main agendas. The statement was made during the Buenos Aires Forum, an event promoted by the Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Gilmar Mendes, which brought together authorities from Latin America to discuss democracy and the rule of law.

“The Chamber has this very latent division on a daily basis. When we reach the second biennium of this legislature, the radicalization becomes even stronger. The anticipation of the electoral debate interferes daily with our work”, stated Motta, citing the anticipated dispute for the 2026 presidential succession.

The president of the Chamber highlighted that political tension is fueled by the relationship between the two main poles of national politics — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who is expected to run for re-election, and former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), a defendant in the Supreme Court. “We have President Lula, already preparing for the next election, and the Supreme Court judging former President Bolsonaro, the greatest right-wing leader in Brazil. This completely interferes in the day-to-day life of the House,” he said.

Motta recognized that the lack of consensus has a direct impact on the processing of projects and defended that Parliament should once again focus on issues of concrete interest to the population. “I have tried to get out of this radicalization a little so that we can deal with the real Brazil and make the changes expected of us”, he declared.

He also mentioned the external scenario and new international tensions, citing sanctions imposed by court decisions and recent economic measures, as additional factors of instability. “We now have an international arrangement that we did not imagine, with the recent decisions on tariffs and agricultural sanctions by the American government, which completely interfere in the day-to-day life of the House,” he stated.

The deputy defended that Parliament remains in tune with new times, focusing on structuring projects and a more pragmatic approach. Among the priorities, he cited the new framework for concessions and public-private partnerships, the new environmental licensing law, the regulation of artificial intelligence and the public security agenda, which includes the vote on the Security PEC and the project that equates criminal factions with terrorism.

“Parliament must tune in to new times to be more effective and meet society’s wishes. Our commitment is to the country’s development, but also to democratic stability”, he concluded.