CPMI 8/1: government presses and Congress postpones session – 04/18/2023 – Power

The government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) managed to postpone the session of the National Congress this Tuesday (18th) in which the reading of the request to create the CPMI (Mixed Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) of the anti-democratic acts of the 8th of January, defended by the opposition.

“This postponement is clearly a maneuver of the government, which intends to take advantage of the time to try to co-opt parliamentarians to withdraw signatures, showing fear and dread that seems inexplicable”, complained the leader of the opposition in the Senate, Rogério Marinho (PL-RN).

“Over the next week, any deputy who withdraws a signature will really cause us a doubt about the reason for that deputy or senator to withdraw his signature”, said the leader of the PL in the Chamber, deputy Altineu Côrtes (PL-RJ).

Contrary to the creation of the CPMI, the government acted to postpone the session from Monday (17th), in order to gain time to try to convince parliamentarians to withdraw their signatures. By Monday, 194 deputies and 37 senators had signed the document by Bolsonarist deputy André Fernandes (PL-CE).

Members of the government’s allied base defended postponing the session to next week, on the grounds that the Executive had not yet sent the PLN (Bill of the National Congress) that guarantees the funding of the national nursing floor.

After a meeting with leaders of both Houses, in the second, the leader of the government in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP) admitted, however, that the government would work to reduce the number of CPMI signatures.

“The government’s position is against the installation of this commission. And the government will work tomorrow to convince parliamentary colleagues to withdraw their signature on this commission,” he said on Monday night.

“There is a job of convincing, of talking. It’s not a CPMI to investigate. It’s a CPMI to disturb an investigation, that’s why we don’t want it.”

He also stated that it would be “inappropriate” and “inadequate” to hold a session of Congress this week and another in the next, to then assess the nursing PLN. “The PLN did not arrive here. We will argue, we will ask the opposition for understanding to postpone it for a week [a sessão]”, continued Randolfe.

This Tuesday morning, party leaders from Lula’s allied base in the Chamber reinforced the request to Pacheco. The note was signed by deputies Zeca Dirceu (PT-PR), Antônio Brito (PSD-BA), Isnaldo Bulhões (MDB-AL), Fabio Macedo (Podemos-MA), Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB) and Felipe Carreras (PSB -FOOT).

“Due to the centrality of the assessment of the legal mechanism that complies with the application of the nursing floor and the failure to hold a session of the CMO (Mixed Budget Committee) to deal with this agenda, we ask your excellency to postpone the session of the National Congress scheduled for the 18th of April,” they wrote.

In response, opposition leaders appealed to Pacheco to keep the session. The text is signed by leaders such as senators Ciro Nogueira (PP-PI), Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and Marinho, and deputies Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) and Côrtes.

“We emphasize that there is an agreement to postpone the vote on the matter related to the nursing floor, but we reaffirm the indispensability of the Joint Session for the deliberation of the other matters on the agenda and for the reading of the request for creation of the CPMI of January 8, as widely disclosed and agreed”, says the note.

At this Monday’s meeting of leaders, government and opposition signed an agreement to consider 12 vetoes by former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in the next session of Congress. Eleven should be kept and one overthrown (which deals with alternative methodologies in rural schools). With the postponement, a new session is scheduled for April 26.