The Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) of the National Social Security Institute (INSS) rejected, by 19 votes against 12this Thursday (4), the opposition request to summon President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s son, Fábio Lula da Silva, known as Lulinha.
The request to summon the current attorney general of the Union, Jorge Messias, was also rejected by the majority of the commission, by 19 votes against 11. Messiah was nominated by President Lula for the position of minister at the Federal Supreme Court (STF).
The government leader at CPMI, deputy Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS), accused the opposition of wanting to “take the focus” off the investigation into INSS deviations to create a political platform in order to try to reach the government and promised to prosecute those who accuse Lula’s son.
“I warn that they will respond criminally, civilly, to every accusation without proof that they make here, and anywhere else, against Mr. Fábio or anyone else. I challenge the parliamentarians who have spoken so far to present a CPI document here, to present proof of what they said,” stated Pimenta.
Press outlets published, this Thursday (4), reports indicating Fábio Lula da Silva’s alleged participation in the INSS scandal based on the testimony of an alleged witness.
Paulo Pimenta argued that there is no evidence, other than the alleged testimony of this witness, that links the president’s son to the INSS deviations.
According to him, the complaint is presented “by a completely discredited person, a disqualified person, who has not presented any evidence”. “I challenge you to show me any document, any proof that Mr. Fábio has received any penny related to any matter”, he added.
On the other hand, senator Sergio Moro (União-PR), defended the approval of the summons of the president’s son. “This fact no longer remains hidden and these parliamentarians who shield it here are not dignifying and honorably fulfilling their mandates. The refusal to approve requests for investigation of Mr. Fábio Lula da Silva or to summon him to give testimony is bordering on malfeasance”, said Moro.
Jorge Messias
The government base also accused the opposition of trying, once again, to divert the focus of the investigation by presenting the request to summon minister Jorge Messias just because he had been nominated as STF minister by President Lula.
Senator Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA) stated that the request is a provocation and recalled that the Union’s attorneys general from the Bolsonaro government, unlike Messias, were not called.
“It is yet another attempt, yet another, by the opposition to divert the focus of the investigation, to confuse public opinion, but we will not allow this to be done. Minister Jorge Messias deserves all our respect, our recognition, we have full confidence in his work and, therefore, there is no need to approve this request”, said Eliziane.
Federal deputy Coronel Fernanda (PL-MT), when presenting the request to summon minister Messias, argued that the Union’s attorney general has a strategic role in defending the treasury.
“Mr Messias’ testimony is essential to clarify the monitoring given by the AGU to this serious situation, the transparency of the procedures adopted and the progress of the ongoing legal measures”, he stated.
