President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) promoted a meeting with parliamentarians, on the afternoon of this Wednesday (27), at Palácio do Planalto, to show solidarity with federal deputy Daniel Silveira (PTB-RJ). On the 20th of April, Silveira was sentenced by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to eight years and nine months in prison, in addition to a fine. One day after the conviction, the President of the Republic issued a decree granting pardon pardon the sentence imposed on the parliamentarian.
The meeting was requested by federal deputies Sóstenes Cavalcante (PL-RJ) and Capitão Augusto (PL-SP), who are, respectively, presidents of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front and the Public Security Parliamentary Front.
“Over the last few days, as president of the Evangelical Parliamentary Front, I have received numerous manifestations from colleagues, always concerned with fighting for the guarantees of all freedom of expression. , and to do this act in the name of a very fair fight, the fight for freedom of expression”, said Cavalcante.
The deputy cited the Federal Constitution to defend the right of the deputy convicted by the STF to have spoken out against the court ministers. “The freedom of expression granted to parliamentarians is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution, in its article 53, which provides that deputies and senators are inviolable, civilly and criminally, for any of their opinions, words and votes”, he said.
Deputy Colonel Tadeu, participates in the meeting with deputies, at Palácio do Planalto, in Brasília – Fabio Rodrigues-Pozzebom/ Agência Brasil
In last week’s judgment, the STF analyzed criminal action opened in April last year against Daniel Silveira, who became a defendant and began to respond to criminal proceedings. Silveira was sentenced.
The Presidency of the Republic did not say how many parliamentarians participated in the event, but 22 federal deputies and a senator spoke in the tribune set up in the Main Hall of the Planalto Palace. The meeting lasted about two hours.
Freedom of expression
In his speech, after listening to parliamentarians, President Jair Bolsonaro quoted former Bolivian President Jeanine Áñez, who is stuck in your country since March last year, after the resignation of President Evo Morales in 2019.
“Does anyone know where Jeanine Áñez is today? She is in prison. She has already attempted suicide more than once. Does anyone know what the charge is? The charge is [de] undemocratic acts. This is what we live in today in Brazil, a decree is created, anti-democratic acts are created, and there a person does what he wants with the future of each one. Democracy and freedom: you either have it or you don’t,” he said.
In a reference to the case of Daniel Silveira, Bolsonaro cited accusations he suffers to defend freedom of expression. “I doubt that I haven’t been the most maligned, most attacked person for years. And if I feel offended, I go to court to demand moral damages, never imprisonment.” Regarding the decision of the STF to condemn the ally, the president said that the Powers of the Republic must respect each other. “The Powers exist to be respected, it is not for one to show that he is stronger than another”.
