✝️ Funeral in Rome, feuds at home

IN THIS ISSUE

• A papal funeral unlike the last

• The Federal Medicine Council: a new conservative stronghold

• A look at Brazil’s international reserves

Lula to attend Pope Francis' funeral

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, the government confirmed on Monday. Lula paid tribute to the late pontiff and declared seven days of national mourning.

Now and then. The makeup of Brazil’s delegation, which is expected to be announced later today, will reveal just how much the country’s politics have fractured since the last papal funeral in 2005.

• In 2005, during his first term, Lula’s delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II included major political rivals, such as his predecessor Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

• Facing fierce opposition at the time, Lula said the move was proof Brazilian politics could be “civilized” and “mature.” All former presidents were invited to attend Pope John Paul II’s funeral — except for Fernando Collor, who had fallen into disgrace amid numerous corruption scandals.

• That will absolutely not be the case this time around.

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