Dino says that Marinho’s candidacy is an ‘extremist political vision’ – 02/01/2023 – Politics

The Minister of Defense, Flávio Dino, said this Wednesday (1st) that the candidacy of Senator Rogério Marinho (PL-RN) for the Presidency of the House “represents the seal of an extremist political vision”.

Marinho is an ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), of whom he was Minister of Regional Development. The dispute for the command of the houses takes place this Wednesday, after the inauguration of the parliamentarians.

Dino, who was exonerated to take office and participate in the vote, said that the government’s ally Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), current president of the House, represents “weighting” and showed optimism with the victory.

“The election of senator Rodrigo Pacheco is a fundamental sign for Brazil, since he leads that House and the National Congress with great balance, listening to all political currents, as it should be”, said the minister and senator-elect.

“Unfortunately, Senator Rogério Marinho’s candidacy would represent an endorsement of an extremist political vision, which is the basis of his candidacy, regrettably. Therefore, I hope and am convinced of a great victory for Rodrigo Pacheco, who represents weighting, balance in defense of democracy, which Brazil needs”, he concluded.

Dino’s statement was made to journalists as he left the STF (Federal Supreme Court), where he participated in the opening of the Judiciary year this morning.

The Minister of Institutional Relations, Alexandre Padilha, was also exonerated and returned to Congress, where he will take office as deputy and vote for Arthur Lira (PP-AL) in the Chamber.

To reporters in the house, he said that regardless of who wins the dispute, the government will have institutional relationship.

“The era of shooting the opposition, of creating conflict with the national congress is over. We want a relationship with a lot of dialogue,” said Padilha.

Asked if the government is convinced of Pacheco’s victory in the Senate, the minister and elected deputy also said that it is not up to the Executive to have “proof, nor conviction”, in a reference to the slogan of Lava Jato in one of the cases involving President Lula.

“It is up to the government to respect what is being done both in the Chamber and in the Senate. [Mas] I have heard not only from President Rodrigo Pacheco, but also from the leader of the government in the Senate, he is very confident with the victory,” he said.

Allies of Pacheco estimate that the score in the dispute will be 51 votes for the current head of the house.

The composition elected in October for the new legislature is more Bolsonarist than the previous year. In addition, there are dissidences within Pacheco’s party that have shaken the confidence of some allies. Senators Lucas Barreto (AP) and Nelsinho Trad (MS) support Marinho.

As the Panel showed, the PSD predicts that at least 12 of its 15 senators will vote for Rodrigo Pacheco (MG)’s re-election in the race for the presidency of the House.

Gilberto Kassab’s party arrives at the election as the largest bench in the Senate, after the recent affiliations of Eliziane Gama (former Citizenship-MA) and Mara Gabrilli (former PSDB-SP). The PL, which launched Marinho, has 13.

Federal deputies and senators who take office this Wednesday will slightly expand the base loyal to Bolsonaro and Lula in Congress, but, in general, maintain the pattern of the past legislature, with a conservative majority.

With this, the President of the Republic has tried to form his support base by distributing ministries and second-tier positions to center and direct parties.

Lula even promised that he would not get involved in the congressional elections, but last week he had lunch with Pacheco at the Official Residence and even posed for a photo with the candidate.

At the end of his speech at the opening of the judicial year at the STF, the Chief Executive said that one might not like it in the National Congress, but “it is the result of the amount of information and humor on voting day.”

“Therefore, we have to respect and only change four years later, when there is a next election, so that we will definitely sustain the longest-lasting democracy that we managed to conquer in the federative republic of Brazil”, he added.

The statement took place amid a speech in defense of democracy and what he called the courageous decisions of the Supreme Court. Lula also attributed the escalation of the coup in the country to disbelief in politics.

Senator Rogério Carvalho (PT-SE) claims that the score for the Senate presidency is not the same as the score for support for the government, and that the senators who vote for Marinho will not necessarily be in the opposition.

“It is not the vote for president that indicates who will or who will not be the governing base. That is not what defines it. The election is a much more restricted space. It is the direction of the Legislative Power”, he says.