One year after the coupist attacks on the Three Powers Square in Brasília, Brazil’s capital city, the destruction and recovery process of pieces vandalized by Bolsonarist coup-plotters who did not accept the 2022 elections has already cost around BRL 21,1 million to the government’s coffers. The information is from the newspaper O Globo and considers the costs of restoring pieces from the collections of the Planalto Palace, the Supreme Court and Congress.
According to the newspaper, the figures refer to repurchases, import of materials and even the restoration of pieces that had to be done in other states. Even with the efforts of different experts, about 53 pieces – or almost one-quarter of all that was destroyed – couldn’t be totally repaired last year. Some are still waiting for liberation to be restored. Besides, some works are still missing.
The biggest loss identified was in the Supreme Court, where the destruction cost around BRL 12 million (about US$ 2.45 million), and vandalized about 135 items with historical value and 951 of daily use. Among the collection items destroyed, there are over 20 historical furniture items from the Imperial period that were in the Supreme Court building, besides photo panels by Sebastião Salgado. Of all the losses, BRL 3.4 million was spent only to rebuild the Court’s plenary room, besides BRL 1.6 million on audiovisual material from the state TV channel TV Justiça.
Up until now, according to the newspaper, 116 items from the Court were repaired, including 22 sculptures, 21 paintings and tapestries and 50 furniture items. Three mirrors and nine chairs are being restored, while 15 items, such as vases and furnishings, are still being studied.
Partnership with Iphan
At the Planalto Palace, the loss amounts to BRL 4.3. A cooperation partnership was signed with the Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan) to restore 24 pieces of historical and artistic value, such as the Balthazar Martinot watch, a gift given by Dom João IV and manufactured by a watchmaker at the request of the French king Louis XIV in the 17th century. The works will probably begin this month with teams from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel).
Of all the items vandalized, three were under the responsibility of specialized teams from the General Secretariat and the Deputy Internal Management Office: an iron sculpture by Amilcar de Castro, a metal and straw couch by Anna Maria Niemeyer and a table showcase by Sérgio Rodrigues.
According to the survey, up until now, BRL 297,000 (about US$ 60,000) was spent rebuilding the Planalto Palace. There was BRL 363,000 (US$ 74,000) in damage to equipment such as computers, video monitors and chairs. In addition, goods worth BRL 142,000 (US$ 29,000) were lost.
In Brazil’s Congress, the loss due to the destruction of items amounts to BRL 3.9 million (US$ 8 million), of which BRL 2.7 (US$ 554 million) in the Chamber of Deputies alone. There, 64 items from the cultural collection, displayed for everyone who visited the building, were vandalized. Technicians have already managed to recover more than 80% of the collection, which includes paintings, sculptures and gifts. The Chamber of Deputies estimated an expense of BRL 1.4 million (US$ 287,000). About BRL 1.2 million (US$ 246,000) was spent to replace carpets and blinds, besides repairs to the electrical and hydraulic systems.
In the Senate, 21 artworks from the historical collection were repaired. According to O Globo, two artworks will probably be returned back to the building this year: a panel by artist Athos Bulcão and the painting "Signing of the First Constitution" by Gustavo Hastoy, with repairs estimated at BRL 143,000 (over US$ 29,000) and BRL 800,000 (about US$ 163,000), respectively.
Also according to O Globo, the restoration of a Burle Marx tapestry was the most complex and cost the Senate BRL 250,000 (US$ 51,000). The item had to be transported to São Paulo to be restored by a technical team from the University of São Paulo and experts in a three-month-long process. It will be returned back in a symbolic act scheduled for today, January 8, to remember the attacks.
Edited by: Camila Salmazio
