Bolsonaro will decide whether to sign the diploma that will be awarded to singer and writer Chico Buarque for the Camões Prize, the leading literary trophy of the Portuguese language. The total awarded to the Brazilian is € 100,000, paid in equal installments by Brazil and Portugal, which created the prize.
The Brazilian government already deposited the money for the award in June, according to Folha the press office of the National Library. The award diploma, however, has not yet been signed by Bolsonaro.
Portuguese government already signed the document, and now it is with the Minister of Citizenship, Osmar Terra, who will connect with the president by the end of this week. The delivery ceremony will be held in Lisbon.
The issue has divided the government. Moderate government members think signing the diploma is only a protocol initiative and, therefore, the president should follow the tradition, avoiding creating embarrassment with the Portuguese government.
Members of the ideological core, however, think that by not signing the document, the president would make a political gesture, opposing the use of public resources in non-priority actions and demonstrating that his mandate represents a break with previous governments.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon