Congress will start CPMI work on January 8 after delay in nominations and progress of investigations in the STF

2023-05-19 18:30:21

So far, almost 800 people have already become defendants for involvement in acts of invasion and depredation of the headquarters of the Three Powers; Planalto appointed experienced politicians to commissions of inquiry

Zeca Ribeiro/Chamber of Deputies
Session for voting on legislative proposals in the Chamber of Deputies

The Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) of the January 8th will not be installed National Congress next Thursday, May 25th. The collegiate, which will be made up of deputies and senators, will investigate the violent acts that resulted in the depredation of the headquarters of the Three Powers, in Brasília, at the beginning of the year. The start of work will take place at a time when the subject has lost traction among parliamentarians, who saw the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), give the go-ahead for the installation of three other CPIs: MST, Apostas and Lojas Americanas. More than that, party chiefs withheld the nomination of members and delayed the kick-off of investigations. In parallel, in the Judiciary, the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) began to analyze complaints presented by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) to almost 800 involved (including executors and instigators), with the expectation that the number will increase, since there are another 250 complaints still to be voted on in the virtual plenary of the Cut.

O Lula government initially acted to empty the CPMI, in order to prevent the attention of Congress from focusing on the commission at a time when the Planalto Palace is trying to promote its agenda, in particular the fiscal framework and tax reform. The installation of the collegiate, however, became irreversible when images from the security cameras showed the until then Minister of the Institutional Security Office (GSI), Gonçalves Dias, transiting through the Plateau alongside the vandals. The opposition went on to say that Lula and his ministers were silent and conniving. With the pressure, government supporters changed their strategy and started to defend the investigation, under the argument that the Lula government was a victim of the invasion in early January. In recent weeks, however, the revelation of messages found on the cell phone of Mauro Cid, former assistant to former President Jair Bolsonaro, has rekindled government interest in the CPMI.

With bolsonaristas and lulistas in the crosshairs, the speed and interest at the beginning of the CPMI cooled down. At first, only the opposition appointed full and alternate members to the commission. In the Senate, the holders nominated by the opposition are: Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF), Esperidião Amin (PP-SC), Magno Malta (PL-ES) and Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE). Among the substitutes are Cleitinho (Republicanos-MG), Jorge Seif (PL-SC), Luis Carlos Heinze (PP-RS) and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ). This Thursday afternoon, the 18th, allies of the Lula government formalized the appointment of the shock troops to the commission. Among those chosen are senators who participated in the Covid-19 CPI, such as Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), Otto Alencar (PSD-BA) and Fabiano Contarato (PT-ES). The leader of the government in Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues (non-AP party), was substituted. “We are ready to install the CPMI do Golpe! Even today, government support blocs should finalize the nominations. On Thursday (25/05), at 9 am, Senator Otto Alencar will install the CPMI. We will work to make it clear who sought to attack our democracy,” wrote Rodrigues.

In the Chamber, the holders will be André Fernandes (PL-CE), Delegado Ramagem (PL-RJ), Felipe Barros (PL-PR), Carlos Sampaio (PSDB-SP), Rodrigo Gambale (PODE-SP), Paulo Magalhães (PSD -BA), Aluísio Mendes (Republicanos-MA), Arthur Maia (União Brasil-BA), Duarte Jr. (PSB-MA), Erika Hilton (PSOL-SP), Rubens Pereira Jr. (PT-MA), Rogério Correia (PT-MG), Jandira Feghali (PCdoB-RJ), Duda Salabert (PDT-MG). Among the substitutes are: Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), Marco Feliciano (PL-SP), Maurício Marcon (Pode-RS), Roberto Duarte (Republicanos-AC), Felipe Francischini (União-PR), Any Ortiz (Cidadania -RS), Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), Laura Carneiro (PSD-RJ), Pastor Henrique Vieira (PSOL-RJ), Josenildo (PDT-AP), Aliel Machado (PV-PR), Carlos Veras (PT-PE ), Delegate Adriana Accorsi (PT-GO), Gervásio Maia (PSB-PB).

While the CPMI took a back seat in Congress, the STF advanced. The Court began to analyze the complaints made by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) against 1,390 people for involvement in acts of vandalism, 239 of which were perpetrators and 1,150 of inciters – in addition to a public agent suspected of omission. The number of complaints accepted by the Supreme Court ministers and who became defendants reached 795. There is also the possibility of this number increasing, since a batch of 250 complaints is being analyzed by the ministers in a virtual plenary. The executors are accused of committing the crimes of violent abolition of the Democratic State of Law, armed criminal association, qualified damage against Union property and deterioration of listed property. The inciters, if they become defendants, will respond for similar reasons for the animosity of the Armed Forces against the Constitutional Powers, in addition to criminal association.