STF Minister Gilmar Mendes.| Photo: Nelson Jr./STF.

The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Gilmar Mendes explained this Tuesday afternoon (9) that he never wanted to offend the people of Curitiba in his statements against Operation Lava Jato. The minister stated that Curitiba “begat Bolsonaro” and “has the germ of fascism”, during an interview with Roda Viva, on TV Cultura, on Monday night (8).

“What I think is fundamental in your question is the following: Curitiba spawned Bolsonaro, Curitiba has the germ of fascism. Including all the practices they develop, investigations on the sly [dissimulação silenciosa para iludir]atypical investigations, nothing more needs to be said”, said the magistrate in Roda Viva.

After the backlash against the statements, Mendes clarified that the criticism was directed at the members of the Lava Jato task force and the so-called “Republic of Curitiba”.

“Yesterday, in an interview with Roda Viva, I used a metonym that deserves clarification. I never wanted to offend the people of Curitiba. Curitiba was not the germ of fascism; was the so-called “Republic of Curitiba” (Operação Lava-Jato and the judges responsible for it in the capital of Paraná)”, said the minister in the twitter this afternoon.

The governor of Paraná, Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior (PSD), stated that “Minister Gilmar Mendes will certainly clarify an unfortunate speech, which gratuitously attacks Curitiba and the people of Paraná”. of Lava Jato, and Senator Sergio Moro (União Brasil-PR), former judge of the operation processes, also criticized Gilmar Mendes.Curitiba councilors also repudiated the minister’s statements.