Congress installs the 8/1 CPMI and defines targets and speeches

On the eve of the installation of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) of the acts of January 8, both the government and the opposition are intensely preparing for the battle that is foreseen for the coming months. Leaders from both sides are testing names to compose the collegiate, outlining strategies to occupy command posts and have already started to prepare arguments, speeches and targets for debates and diligences.

This Tuesday (25), senators from the two opposition blocs held the first meeting aimed at listing priorities, defining participants and predicting initial tasks. In parallel, Planalto allies, under the baton of Minister Alexandre Padilha (Institutional Relations), invested time and influence to close the agreement with the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), which will determine what their true power will be. at CPMI. In a meeting with leaders this Tuesday afternoon (25), Lira enshrined his nomination of the allied deputy André Fufuca (PP-MA) for the rapporteurship. But the hammer was not beaten and other names are still trying to get the job.

The session of Congress to open the commission was convened for this Wednesday (26), a week after General Marco Gonçalves Dias resigned as minister of the Institutional Security Office (GSI) of the Presidency of the Republic. The leak of images showing Gonçalves Dias inside the Planalto Palace at the time of the invasion and interacting with invaders, made the CPMI inevitable and led to a change in the government’s posture. The general friend of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), together with the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino (PSB), are among the priority targets of the opposition in the commission.

Both government supporters and oppositionists hope that, as happened in all inquiry commissions, CPMI may emerge new revealing elements, coming from testimonies and evidence, in order to wear down their opponents. Behind the scenes, both sides agree that incumbent administrations tend to suffer the most. In any case, before and after the reading of the CPMI application, scheduled for the early afternoon of Wednesday (26), the expectation will be on the list of 32 parliamentarians (16 from the Chamber and 16 from the Senate) who will integrate the commission .

After the confirmation of the collegiate is published in the Official Gazette, until Thursday (27), the President of Congress, Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), will receive from the party leaders the list of their nominees, who will later elect the president, the vice-president and rapporteur.

The inaugural session will be convened by the oldest parliamentarian. At best, the effective start of work is expected on May 10. But the date may be extended for a few more weeks, in case there is any stalemate over the composition and/or command of the CPMI. Not even the judicialization of questions of order is ruled out.

CPMI escalation and narratives are unknown

Bruno Carazza, political analyst and professor at Fundação Dom Cabral (FDC), says that the CPMI’s lineup is still a big question mark due to the unconventional way in which Arthur Lira conducts deliberations. “The creation of the blocão by the mayor to be re-elected made the government its hostage, together with the recent emergence of two large party blocs. The biggest problem is that Lira doesn’t usually follow the regiment to the letter and, instead, prefers to sew agreements with the leaders, ”he adds.

Analysts heard by People’s Gazette also estimate that there will be a war of narratives throughout the CPMI’s operation. To face this reality, government supporters rushed to name their most experienced names, with emphasis on senators Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL) and Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), as if promoting a “second season” of the CPI on Covid , ended in 2021 in the Senate. They also point out the impossibility of Deputy André Fernandes (PL-CE) having any prominence due to alleged connections with participants in the acts.

The mention of Calheiros’ name for the CPMI rapporteur sparked a quick reaction from Lira, the senator’s arch-rival in his state. This restriction can delay the definition of the commanders of the commission and is one of the points considered by the government negotiators. There is a fear of raising obstacles to relations with the President of the Chamber and this when there is no solid support base in Congress. Lira said this Tuesday (25) that the routine of the CPMI and other commissions of inquiry will not delay the normal voting schedule.

Deputy Lindbergh Farias (PT-RJ), who is deputy leader of the government in the Chamber, continues to insist on the thesis that the opposition “shot itself in the foot” by proposing the CPMI, despite the fact that the government itself was the biggest obstacle until the revelation of the images of the action of members of the GSI on the 8th of January. He hopes that the commission will be led by government supporters and emphasize the connection of the invaders with former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), without ruling out the possibility of calling him to testify. Another target is the former head of the GSI in the past management, General Augusto Heleno.

The PT deputy says that he will defend, as a priority, the investigation into the intellectual authors and the financiers of the acts in Brasília and also foresees the impeachment of parliamentarians, in a reference to deputies who were supportive of the protesters, including the author of the request creation of the collegiate, André Fernandes.

In addition to him, the other person nominated by the PL in the Chamber to join the CPMI is Alexandre Ramagem (RJ), former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin). In the Senate, the three names that will be nominated by the party include Magno Malta (ES) and leader Carlos Portinho (RJ). The third is yet to be defined – Jorge Seif (SC) and Flávio Bolsonaro (RJ), who have already expressed their desire to participate, are among those quoted for the vacancy.

Also applying for a vacancy on the CPMI representing her block, Senator Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF), Bolsonaro’s former minister, adopted a propositional speech. She emphasized that the commission reflects society’s desire to clarify facts that have not yet been explained and the need to do justice to people who were arrested without observing their rights. Damares stressed that it is “essential for the country to turn this page”, noting that Congress “has other important agendas this year”.

Definition of command positions in the collegiate will dictate directions

Political analyst Marcos Queiroz, from Arko Advice, explained that the strong competition for the two main positions in the CPMI – president and rapporteur – reflects the special power that each one of them has in the outcome of the commission. The president controls the agenda, guiding requests, scheduling depositions and, therefore, dictating the pace of work.

The rapporteur, in turn, is even more important, as he is responsible for the final report, which may indict people to be investigated by the competent judicial bodies. In addition, the opinion can suggest legislation to correct problems.

“It is, therefore, a natural fight, because each position, depending on the political group that holds it, can lead the CPMI to very different directions”, he observes.

Queiroz adds that the hypothesis of the author of the request receiving one of the key positions only occurs when there is no political dispute, which is not the case of the CPMI. “In this case, the regimental rule will prevail, which determines proportionality for a mixed CPI, with the main positions being alternated between the Chamber and the Senate”, he said.

By this rule, it will be up to the senators of the group that elected the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco, bringing together the blocks headed by MDB and PSD, to indicate the rapporteur. Already in the Chamber, the majority block, headed by the PP of Arthur Lira, can impose its names, like André Fufuca.

A different arrangement – with space for the opposition – would be possible with agreement, through government concession, which has become unlikely.