Long holiday takes deputies to Gilmar forum in Lisbon – 23/06/2023 – Politics

The Chamber of Deputies entered this Wednesday (21) into a kind of informal recess that will empty the House for 15 days, a period that coincides with the June festivities and with the legal forum organized in Lisbon by the IDP of Minister Gilmar Mendes, of the STF ( Federal Court of Justice).

Voting in the House will not resume until July 4.

As happens practically every year, a significant group of parliamentarians intend to take advantage of the June festivities in loco in several cities in the Northeast, especially São João (24th), in addition to the Parintins Festival (Amazonas) —from June 30th to 2nd July.

Another batch of politicians, including the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), travels to Portugal to participate in the 11th Lisbon Legal Forum, held by the educational institution IDP in partnership with entities such as FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas) Knowledge. The event takes place from Monday (26) to Wednesday (28).

FGV was investigated by the Federal Police on suspicion of using studies and opinions to rig bids and corrupt public agents. In November last year, the entity was the subject of a favorable decision by Gilmar, when the STF minister suspended the investigation and revoked precautionary measures imposed on investigated.

One of those targeted by the PF was Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal, president of FGV, who will participate in the opening panel of the forum and in a panel on the challenges of higher education after the pandemic.

A Sheet sent questions to the IDP, the FGV and the minister’s staff. FGV said it would not comment. Gilmar and the IDP did not respond.

In November 2022, after the PF fulfilled search and seizure warrants within the scope of the investigation, the FGV said that the investigation was based on the denunciation of the former governor of Rio Sergio Cabral, annulled by the STF.

“Since 2019, FGV, as well as its directors, have been the target of persecution and victims of accusations regarding alleged facts from up to 15 years ago”, he added.

This year’s IDP forum has as its main axis the “Democratic Rule of Law and defense of institutions”.

Several ministers from the Lula government (PT) and vice-president Geraldo Alckmin (PSB) were invited to the three days of events, in addition to ministers from the STF, the STJ (Superior Court of Justice), the TCU (Tribunal de Contas da União ), congressmen and other authorities, including the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), and former president Michel Temer.

In the most up-to-date program, a table is planned on “risks for the rule of law and defense of democracy”, with the participation of Tarcísio and the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino.

The Justice Department said that the Ministry received a visit in March from the Portuguese ambassador, Luís Faro Ramos, to initiate negotiations for legal and police cooperation between the two countries, with a meeting between Dino and the Portuguese authorities having been agreed for the 26th, in Lisbon.

“In addition, the Minister of Justice and Public Security has the function of interacting with the legal community, aiming at the debate of ideas and the improvement of legal institutions. Participation in the panel on ‘Risks to the Rule of Law and Defense of Democracy’ is fully understood in the light of the powers of the Ministry of Justice and the facts that have occurred in recent months in Brazil”, added the advisory, informing that the costs of the trip will be covered by the ministry.

The advisory of the Government of São Paulo did not manifest itself.

The Chamber of Deputies also did not comment on which parliamentarians will accompany Lira on the trip or who will bear the costs.

The parliamentarian will be accompanied by a delegation of several parliamentarians. In the IDP program, four of them, in addition to Lira, are expected to participate in discussion tables: Aguinaldo Ribeiro (PP-PB), Luiza Canziani (PSD-PR), Felipe Carreras (PSB-PE) and Orlando Silva (PC of the B-SP).

The participation of the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), is expected at the closing, but he has not yet confirmed his trip to Portugal. Like the Chamber, the senators are also expected to return to action in Brasília on the 4th.

Some of Lula’s ministers mentioned in the program are unlikely to participate. Fernando Haddad’s (Finance) advisory said he will not attend and Simone Tebet’s (Planning) advisory said that she canceled the trip to the forum due to the vote on the fiscal framework in Congress and other commitments.

On the afternoon of this Thursday, the Ministry of Development confirmed the trip to Portugal of Alckmin, who is also the titular minister.

The deputy “will meet with the president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with the Portuguese prime minister, António Costa, and meet with business leaders, to discuss investments in Brazil”, said the ministry, which confirmed the participation of Alckmin at the closing of the IDP forum, on Wednesday (28).

Among ministers of superior court, the participation is foreseen, among several others, of the president of the TCU (Tribunal de Contas da União), Bruno Dantas, of the minister André Mendonça (STF) and, even, of Cristiano Zanin, who had the name approved by the Senate this Wednesday (21) to compose the Supreme Court.

The official mid-year recess of Congress is scheduled for the second half of July.

With a calmer scenario in the Senate, Lula is still trying to get a more solid base in the Chamber, where he has already suffered some defeats.

Among other points, congressmen from center and right-wing parties hope that the release of parliamentary amendments will be accelerated by the beginning of July, in addition to the exchange in Tourism, with the departure of Daniela Carneiro (RJ) and the entry of Celso Sabino (PA ), both from União Brasil.