MST CPI has an argument between ruralists and Lula’s base – 05/23/2023 – Politics

Deputies linked to the ruralist agenda and parliamentarians from the base of the Lula government (PT) exchanged accusations and staged a series of arguments during a session of the MST’s CPI held this Tuesday (23).

The session was marked by opposition artillery against the MST (Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra) — the majority of the collegiate is formed by deputies linked to ruralists and members of the FPA (Frente Parlamentar da Agropecuária), one of the strongest forces in the House.

These parliamentarians referred to the movement and its members as “bandits”, “marginals” and “malouqueira”.

Government deputies reacted by stating that it is necessary to investigate conflicts in the countryside, land grabbing, invasion of indigenous lands, burnings and deforestation, criticizing the management of the now federal deputy Ricardo Salles (PL-SP) during the period in which he commanded the Environment portfolio in the government Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

The intensification of parliamentary speeches began from the first minutes of the session, when the president and rapporteur of the CPI, respectively Lieutenant Colonel Zucco (Republicanos-RS) and Salles, referred to the commission as responsible for “investigating the invasion of property, depredation of public and private property and related crimes” —exceeding the original scope of the request for the creation of the CPI, which proposes to analyze the actions of the MST.

This change was included in the first version of the work plan presented, read in the session by Bolsonaro’s former Minister of the Environment. And it was the target of criticism from government parliamentarians.

Deputy Sâmia Bomfim (PSOL-SP) accused Salles of “shamelessly” distorting the purpose of the CPI and indicated that she could bring matters addressed by the collegiate to court if they went beyond its scope.

“The rapporteur at his pleasure wants to change the content of this CPI. I ask: based on which law? On what criteria? And considering that the rapporteur and the president have a majority in this CPI, I believe that this question of order will be invalidated. I announce that any member that may be summoned or any topic that deviates from the original scope can be judicialized”, he said.

In an interview with Sheet, last week, Salles considered the possibility of the commission reaching the MTST (Movement of Homeless Workers), linked to Deputy Guilherme Boulos (PSOL-SP). The two articulate their candidacies for mayor of São Paulo in 2024.

Throughout the session, about a dozen requests for a question of order were requested (an instrument used by parliamentarians to raise doubts or question the interpretation of regulations).

PT president Gleisi Hoffmann (PR) reinforced Sâmia’s request. The petista said that the work plan read by Salles “is a previous report”.

“He is saying that there was depredation, invasion, related crimes. I would like it to fit [o texto] for what exactly is the aim and purpose [da CPI], without listing the situation. This will only come later, when there are hearings, conversations here, but never in advance, “he said.

“Since we are going to have a CPI without an object, at least that the objective is maintained and not increased and presented in the text in this way of already criminalizing the MST”, continued the petista.

Zucco, then, stated that the name of the CPI would be changed in the work plan, but rejected a question of order presented by Gleisi, stating that “nothing prevents” that the conduct of the commission’s work “takes place in a different way from that initially proposed in the plan of work”.

Talíria Petrone (PSOL-RJ) stated that the former minister “is related to illegal mining” and that the congressman “did not care” about accusations of illegal timber “because he does not defend the environment”.

Salles reacted by indicating that he could represent the parliamentarian on the House Ethics Committee. And he heard Sâmia’s answer: “Better to answer in the ethics council than in Justice, than in the Supreme [Tribunal Federal]”.

One of the clashes took place between Deputy Valmir Assunção (PT-BA), linked to the MST, and Deputy Delegate Éder Mauro (PL-PA).

Mauro stated that “MST is not a social movement, but a movement of marginals, who invade, break in, set fire to farmhouses and kill animals”. Valmir then reacted: “I’m not marginal, I’m not marginal”. The PSOL parliamentarians came out in defense of the PT and stated that the PL deputy “is accused of being a torturer”.

At another time, Sâmia starred in clashes with Zucco, president of the CPI, when dealing with the investigation against the parliamentarian.

On May 17, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF, determined that the Federal Police proceed with investigations against Zucco on suspicion of encouraging and sponsoring anti-democratic acts in Rio Grande do Sul and Brasília.

The investigation began with factual news taken to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. The TRF-4 forwarded the case to the Supreme Court for involving a federal deputy.

Zucco reacted by stating that this matter “is not on the agenda of this CPI”.

Before the session began, federal deputy Camila Jara (PT-MT) offered those present glasses with grape juice produced in MST settlements. “We can experience how we manage to combine the production of healthy foods with incentives for family farming to produce more and more”, she said.

The deputy offered it to Salles, who took the juice and posed for photos holding a bottle of the product.

A new session will be held this Wednesday (24th) to analyze 15 requests that have already been submitted by parliamentarians – as of Tuesday afternoon, there were 102 made available on the Chamber’s portal.