Gaucho councilor is indicted for racism after speech against Bahians – 03/14/2023 – Market

The Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul concluded that there was a crime of racism in the speech given by councilor Sandro Luiz Fantinel (without a party, at the time in Patriotas) at the City Council of Caxias do Sul (RS) on February 28.

The indictment was forwarded to the Public Ministry. If convicted by Justice, Fantinel could face up to five years in prison.

His speech was related to the rescue of Bahian workers in conditions similar to slavery who provided services to wineries in Bento Gonçalves (RS), six days earlier.

On the tribune, Fantinel advised local farmers not to hire “those people up there” who would be “used to Carnival and parties”, giving preference to Argentines. He also said that “with Bahians, who have the only culture to live on the beach playing drums, it’s normal to have this kind of problem.”

The inquiry had been opened on the same day as the speech. Before forwarding the indictment to the Public Ministry, on Monday (13), the Civil Police analyzed the images, took the testimony of two witnesses and the councilor himself, on the 9th.

The result of the investigation was announced by Chief Fernando Sodré, head of the Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul, in Porto Alegre. He considers that he has no doubt about the occurrence of a crime of racism.

Sodré highlighted the issue of the councilor attacking the national origin of the workers and the passage in which the councilor speaks of “playing the drum”, understood by the researchers as “subliminal messages of racism referring to origin and color” and “African-based religions “. The crime of racism provides for a penalty of two to five years in prison and has no statute of limitations.

In addition to the criminal sphere, Fantinel was expelled from his party, Patriota, and is also facing impeachment proceedings at the City Council. On Monday (13), he delivered his prior defense to the processing commission. Now, councilors have five days to issue an opinion, opting for the continuation or filing of the complaint. .

wanted by Sheet, the councilor sent a note signed by his lawyers, Vinícius de Figueiredo and Rodrigo de Oliveira Vieira. The text says that the parliamentarian admitted to having exceeded himself in speech. He also says that the “crime is considered of medium offensive potential” and that “the defense will work tirelessly to mitigate the effects of the indictment”.

At the time of the speech, Fantinel said that he “talked too much” and that he would return to the podium the next day to apologize. On his social networks, on March 2, he apologized, said he had “a lot of appreciation for the people of Bahia and everyone in the North/Northeast of the country” and attributed the demonstration to a mental lapse of which he would be “deeply sorry”.

Also on Monday, the Military Brigade (as the PM in Rio Grande do Sul is called) removed soldier Márcio Squarcieri, 39, from street policing, suspected of working as a private security guard for Fênix Prestação de Serviços, a third-party company that hired 207 workers to the grape harvest and which kept the workers in degrading housing, food and work conditions.

Last Thursday (9), the MPT-RS (Ministério Público do Trabalho do RS) signed a TAC (Conduct Adjustment Term) with the Aurora, Garibaldi and Salton wineries, providing for 21 obligations and indemnities totaling R$ 7 million . Fênix, which paid for contract terminations, did not reach an agreement with the MPT-RS and had R$ 3 million withheld by the Labor Court.