Senate completes 1st restoration of works damaged in anti-democratic acts

THE Senate completed the recovery of one of the 14 works of art that were damaged during the undemocratic acts from January 8th. The first restored work is the painting wheat in the mountains, produced in 1967 by the Brazilian painter Guido Mondin. The screen will be reset at the reception of the President of the House.

After regaining control of the Congress by security forces, the painting was found on the floor, separated from the frame. The work was soaked with water and had been scratched by broken glass.

The recovery work was done by the restoration laboratory of the Senate. Fungi caused by humidity and glass fragments were removed. A press was used to flatten the screen, which also became warped.

Guido Mondin produced around 4,000 canvases, which are on display in Brazil, the United States and Europe. In addition to being a painter, he served as a federal deputy and minister at the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU). Mondin died in 2000, aged 88.

According to the Advocacy General of the Union (AGU), so far, the damage caused by the depredation to the facilities of Congress, the Planalto Palace and the Federal Supreme Court (STF) reached R$ 18.5 million. The amount is being charged in court by the body to guarantee reimbursement to the public coffers.

Since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was elected in the second round, at the end of October 2022, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have demonstrated their disagreement with the result of the election and have called for a military coup in the country to depose the democratically elected government. .

The demonstrations of the last few months included encampments in several general headquarters in the country and culminated with the invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the Three Powers, in Brasília, on January 8th.