Ciro: Senator did ‘private service’ for minister – 04/07/2024 – Power

Former governor of Ceará Ciro Gomes stated in an interview that senator Janaína Farias (PT-CE) performs “private service” as a “harem” for minister Camilo Santana (Education).

Janaína Farias was sworn into the Senate on Tuesday (2), replacing Augusta Brito (PT-CE), who was on leave for four months to act as Secretary of Political Articulation in the Government of Ceará. Janaína is the second substitute, Augusta Brito the first, replacing Camilo Santana, Minister of Education in the Lula (PT) government.

The senator says she will sue Ciro Gomes.

“It is regrettable that this type of aggression against a woman still persists in Ceará politics. But baseness and cowardice seem to be a characteristic of this politician’s career,” said the senator, in a response sent by the communications team to the report.

“Unfortunately, everyone knows that misogyny is a characteristic of this gentleman and that it should be a reason for rejection by the entire society.”

In an interview with the portal A Notícia do Ceará on Thursday (4), Ciro compared Camilo Santana to the Roman emperor Calígula, who is credited with having installed a horse as a senator in Rome.

“That guy [Calígula] he was so powerful, so without contrast, as unfortunately it seems that Camilo is seeing himself, that to humiliate the Senate he named his own horse a senator. Barely comparing —it’s not a horse, we’re talking about a person, therefore—, I ask, with all due respect: what is the work, the accomplishment, the preparation, that Janaína has to be senator of the Republic?”, he stated.

“She only did Camilo’s private service, and private service, like the harem, the eunuchs, the girls from around the area. She was always in charge of that service.”

In the same interview, Ciro Gomes denies that the statements are sexist, mentions alleged connections between Janaína Farias’ family and organized crime in Ceará and said he regrets having once been an ally of Camilo Santana.

The PT’s state directory released a statement calling the former governor’s statements “disgusting and unacceptable.”

“This clearly demonstrates Mr. Ciro’s difficulty in accepting women in power and his lack of commitment to a society that increasingly demands more representation, voice and time for women.”

Ceará’s PDT countered the PT with another note. The party expressed solidarity with the former governor, whom it called a “victim of frivolous and unfounded accusations.”

The state directory of Ciro’s party mentioned former mayor and federal deputy Luizianne Lins (PT-CE), pre-candidate for Mayor of Fortaleza. She is running for the party’s seat and has complained that she is being passed over.

Ceará’s PDT said, in the public note, that the state PT “is silent about the violence and massacre” that the party leadership imposes on Luizianne.

In addition to Luizianne, four other names are competing for the PT seat for mayor of the capital of Ceará, including state deputy Evandro Leitão (PT), president of the Legislative Assembly of Ceará and a figure close to senator Cid Gomes (PSB-CE).

Ciro Gomes has already been accused of sexist speech on other occasions. Most famously, during the presidential campaign in 2002, the then candidate said about his then wife, actress Patrícia Pilar: “My partner has one of the most important roles, which is sleeping with me. Sleeping with me is a fundamental role.”

In the 2022 elections, the actress stated that she had forgiven the former governor at that time, when he “immediately apologized.”