Moraes was asked to arrest ES deputy for posts on TikTok

The arrest of state deputy Capitão Assumção (PL-ES), from Espírito Santo, last week, was ordered by minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), because of posts on the social network TikTok.

The details of the petition were published this Monday (4) on the website Metropolises, who had access to the confidential document. According to the investigation, the Public Ministry alleged a threat to the security of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and STF ministers, including Moraes himself.

The judge justified the decision based on posts made by the parliamentarian that had a “clear intention of coercing and preventing the exercise of constituted powers, with a flagrant affront to the maintenance of the Democratic Rule of Law”.

The judge highlighted that Capitão Assumção’s publications constituted a violation of the court decision that prohibited him from speaking out on social media. According to Moraes, the deputy’s posts represent a threat not only to Lula, but also to deputies, senators and STF ministers. He highlighted the seriousness of the parliamentarian’s actions, describing them as “illegal” and “very serious”.

The state Public Ministry of Espírito Santo pointed out a series of offenses against the honor of Moraes and other authorities. The MP highlighted that Captain Assumção continued to make aggressive and criminal statements, disrespecting court orders and mocking the attack that took place on the STF headquarters on January 8, 2023.

“The aforementioned parliamentarian created a new account [no
TikTok] (@capitaoassumcao22) to continue virulent and criminal statements, all with the aim of ‘demonstrating his strength’, having even reposted, with absolute mockery towards this Supreme Court, ‘the video that angered Alexandre de Moraes”, wrote the MP in the request to the magistrate.

The prosecution also stated that “the conduct of the investigated person, even though he was aware of the prohibitive judicial decision, embodied in several posts on the social networks TikTok and Kwai, reveals the deliberation in circumventing the orders issued by this Supreme Court”.

Captain Assumção is accused of several crimes, including the formation of a paramilitary organization, incitement to crime and crimes against the honor of public agents. The MP argued that Capitão Assumção’s actions constitute a threat to the independence of the established powers and the Democratic Rule of Law.

Carlos Dilen, the parliamentarian’s lawyer, requested the revocation of the arrest, and the Legislative Assembly of Espírito Santo must vote on whether the detention will be maintained. Captain Assumção, who is 60 years old and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Espírito Santo in 2018 and re-elected in 2022, gained notoriety for his incisive posts on social media, especially on TikTok, where he has 1.2 million followers.