“Cleansing up behind-the-scenes impeachment”

The president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), responded this Thursday (25) to the criticisms made by the president of the PL, Valdemar Costa Neto, demanding a firmer position from the National Congress against Federal Police operations targeting parliamentarians allies of Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

Costa Neto stated that the operation against congressman Alexandre Ramagem (PL-RJ) and Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) demonstrates “persecution because of Bolsonaro”. The PL leader also said that the president of Congress “does not defend the Chamber or the Senate” and added that he should have already “impeached” minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF). “He [Moraes] thinks he can do what he wants. Do you know why? Because Rodrigo is weak. He knows that Rodrigo won’t react.”

“It is clear that today’s PF operation against deputy Alexandre Ramagem is a persecution because of Bolsonaro. This business of going into offices is a lack of authority on the part of the National Congress. Rodrigo Pacheco should react and take action”, reacted Costa Neto, demanding a position from the senator who presides over the Legislature.

In response, Pacheco released a statement saying that it is “difficult to maintain any type of dialogue with those who make politics a unique exercise to expand and obtain gains with the electoral fund.” The senator also mentioned that Valdemar “is not capable of minimally organizing the opposition to even approve the limitation of monocratic decisions by the STF.”

According to Pacheco, the president of the PL “publicly defends the impeachment of a Supreme Court minister to deceive his supporters, but, behind the scenes, he makes a fool of himself when dealing with the issue.”

Despite reacting to Costa Neto’s statement, Pacheco has not yet commented on the operations against Ramagem and Jordy, in the same way as the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL). This Wednesday (24), opposition parliamentarians met to define actions against the STF’s excesses in relation to inquiries investigating politicians with privileged jurisdiction and called for an offensive from Lira and Pacheco.

Valdemar reacts to Pacheco’s response

After learning of Pacheco’s response, Valdemar Costa Neto reacted again on social media. He said he remains “indignant at the lack of courage to defend the immunity of a parliamentarian. “If the Senate had a compromised president, it wouldn’t waste time complaining about a party president,” he wrote on the X network.

“What we see in Brazil is the reflection of institutions being kidnapped and used for political purposes instead of fighting organized crime, that’s the PT. I spent my whole life defending the equality of the three Powers, I was never a coward to remain silent when one power does not respect the other, this applies to all sides”, declared Costa Neto.