Tarcísio Uses Minas Gerais’ Top Honor to Rebuke Polarization

Overview

• Tarcísio de Freitas, who received the Grande Colar da Inconfidência on Tuesday in Ouro Preto, used his speech to denounce political polarization and waste in public-resource management.
• He praised Romeu Zema and Governor Mateus Simões for fiscal restraint and pro-business policies, a public nod toward a right and center-right alignment before the election season.
• The ceremony followed its two-part ritual in the city’s historic core with military honors at Praça Tiradentes before awards to 171 honorees at the Federal University of Ouro Preto.
• Ouro Preto’s mayor Ângelo Oswaldo criticized what he called militarism in education, after which Simões defended the armed forces and labeled the mayor’s remarks empty words.
• A local stray dog wandered into the civic act, drawing a brief ear scratch from Tarcísio in a clip that spread online.