Hostility to Moraes came from another group, says defense – 07/16/2023 – Politics

The defense of businessman Roberto Mantovani Filho and family members claims that the hostility action against Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Federal Supreme Court), at Rome airport on Friday (14th) did not come from them, but that they were involved later in what they call the “interlude”.

This Sunday (16), one of those involved in the episode, real estate agent Alex Zanatta Bignotto, the businessman’s son-in-law, testified for two hours to the Federal Police and denied the accusation. Mantovani and his wife, Andreia Munarão, will be heard on Tuesday (18).

According to attorney Ralph Tórtima Stettinger Filho, his clients did not go there to harass the minister, “but they were just passing by and there was a fortuitous meeting”. The defense avoids commenting, however, on the aggression against the minister’s son attributed to Mantovani.

The representative said that the Mantovani family arrived at the airport of the Italian capital, to depart for Brazil, five hours before the flight and looked for a VIP room to wait for the departure.

In a first space with restricted access, said the lawyer, the group was informed that it was full and that without a reservation it would not be possible to stay. Then he would have looked for another one.

Bignotto, his wife and daughters (two children, aged 2 and 4) followed ahead, followed by Mantovani, wife and Giovanni (20-year-old son of Mantovani and Munarão), according to this version.

It was at that moment, according to the lawyer, that the Minister of the Supreme Court and his family would have arrived at the scene, and the two groups crossed paths.

“Some people had probably been following and harassing [o ministro e seu grupo]. That is, they were already suffering the action of some people. At that very moment when they had fallen behind, Mr. Roberto, his wife and son. They were, in a way, involved in that moment.”

According to Stettinger, one of the people accompanying the minister would have clashed with Andreia Munarão.

“The son of Minister Alexandre de Moraes leaves in solidarity with his wife because she would have been offended. And he begins to offend Mr. Roberto’s wife”, said the lawyer.

This discussion would have evolved into an aggression against Moraes’ son, which is attributed to the businessman from the interior of São Paulo. The Federal Police is investigating the accusation. The defense said it does not comment.

“Regarding the episode of aggression that is attributed to Mr. Roberto, he asked, do you want him to clarify [à PF] on Tuesday.”

The family denies that there was any mention of or offense to the minister. “They recognize that there was an argument between part of their group and part of Minister Alexandre’s group. No offenses against the minister,” said the lawyer.

According to information gathered by PF investigators, a group addressed the member of the Supreme Court and president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) with expressions such as “bandit”, “communist” and “bought”.

Mantovani said that federal police were at his house at 6:00 am this Sunday to subpoena them, but that, as he and his wife had a trip to a grandson’s birthday in Santa Catarina, they would testify later.

On Saturday (15), the businessman told the Sheet that he saw Moraes at Rome’s international airport, but did not speak to him. “What I can tell you is that I actually saw the minister. He was sitting in a room, but I didn’t say a word to him,” he said.

The Attorney General of the Republic, Augusto Aras, ordered the Federal Public Ministry to take the appropriate measures. Aras, who is out of the country, sent a message to the magistrate expressing his solidarity and said he classified the aggression as “repulsive”.

Moraes participated in an international law forum held at the University of Siena in Italy. He was a member of the Constitutional Justice and Democracy panel, which was also attended by Minister André Ramos Tavares, who is also a member of the TSE.

Moraes has become in recent years the main executioner of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) in the Judiciary, commanding inquiries that affect the former president in the STF.

He also commanded the TSE in the 2022 elections and in last month’s trial that ruled Bolsonaro’s ineligibility until 2030.

Moraes has already been the target of insults by Bolsonaro, who, in the last two years, has already referred to the minister as a “tramp” and a “scoundrel”.

The case in Rome led to a series of expressions of solidarity with the minister.

This Sunday, the Vice President of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin, said on social media that the attacks against him are inadmissible.

“The aggressions against Minister Alexandre de Moraes are unacceptable. I express all my solidarity with the Minister and his family, and I repudiate the disrespectful and aggressive form of the acts perpetrated. Brazil voted for democracy. The climate of hatred and disrespect provoked by some not continue,” he wrote.

Supreme colleague, Minister Gilmar Mendes also manifested himself on a social network. “The violent truculence of extremists can never be accepted as a legitimate form of political manifestation. Public debate is carried out with ideas and arguments”, he stated.