Opposition aims mixed CPI over 8/1 to wear down Lula – 03/01/2023 – Power

At a disadvantage in the Senate, the opposition has been betting on a mixed CPI on the January 8 coup attacks, with the participation of deputies as well, to impose an agenda of attrition on the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

Despite Lula being against it, the number of signatures to open a mixed commission (made up of senators and deputies) was reached this week, with the support even of parliamentarians from União Brasil, which controls three ministries of the current government.

The minimum number for an exclusive CPI in the Senate was also collected shortly after the attacks in Brasília — it will now be updated, since there was a change of members of the House in the new legislature.

Lula’s base must act to withdraw adhesions to the CPI and CPMI, and eventual installation also depends on the reading by the head of Congress, Senator Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG).

The opposition’s bet is that the participation of deputies in a CPMI is a way of avoiding the creation of an investigation commission only in the Senate, where Lula’s base is considered more controllable.

Federal deputy André Fernandes (PL-CE) announced on Monday (27) that he had obtained the support of 189 deputies (of the minimum necessary of 171) and 33 senators (of the minimum of 27) for the creation of a mixed commission, with the participation of the two Houses.

Pacheco has already thrown the ball to the government publicly and has said he will install any of the investigation requests that meet the requirements.

During the pandemic, he only read the request for the creation of the Covid-19 CPI after Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP) —one of the main names in the opposition to the Bolsonaro government— took the case to the STF (Federal Supreme Court).

Now on the other side of the story, as leader of the Lula government in Congress, Randolfe claims that he will talk to all “bona fide parliamentarians” so that they understand “that there is no reason for this CPMI”.

“It is the first time that I see a commission of inquiry that has no investigation. It is a commission to obstruct the investigations that are being carried out. , it says.

Despite the government being against the CPMI and the CPI, the subject has been left in the background in Congress amidst the division of permanent commissions and agendas linked to the economy, such as fuel.

Behind the scenes, government senators say they are in the majority and could demobilize the commission on a day-to-day basis, in addition to appointing a rapporteur and president. Another way of burying the CPI would be failing to indicate the members of the commission.

Faced with a more comfortable scenario for the government in the Senate, the opposition wants to concentrate efforts in the Chamber of Deputies, where Lula has a less solid base of support. One of the targets is the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino (PSB).

Bolsonaristas say that Dino and other authorities ignored alerts from Abin (Brazilian Intelligence Agency) and allowed the destruction. Others also raise conspiracy theories to claim that the president was purposely out of Brasilia on the day of the attacks.

The largest bench in the House, the PL released a note this Wednesday (1st) in which, among other things, it supports the creation of the CPMI to investigate the acts of January 8, “including on the accountability of the current government”.

The text was signed by the president of the party, Valdemar Costa Neto, and released during the first working meeting of the PL bench in the Chamber.

Federal deputy Carla Zambelli (PL-SP) says that parliamentarians will not “pass the cloth to anyone”, but that it is necessary to analyze cases of “innocents improperly arrested”.

“Those who have actually committed vandalism, these people will have to pay for their actions. We have cases of really innocent people who were improperly arrested. And these cases we need to analyze. These people cannot be imprisoned there”, he says.

The government has argued that the authorities are already investigating the episode, and that the opening of a parliamentary commission of inquiry —whether in one or both houses— interferes in the daily life of Congress and hinders the discussion of matters.

“It’s not that it’s bad for the government. It’s not about a CPI where the government will be in the spotlight. Now, if you ask me, ‘Is it worth spending this energy?’. In my opinion, no”, says the government leader in the Senate, Jaques Wagner (PT-BA).

Despite Lula’s disapproval, both the CPMI and the CPI even have parliamentarians from parties at the base of the government.

On Monday, STF Minister Gilmar Mendes asked Pacheco for information on the reading of the CPI. The order was made in a lawsuit filed by Senator Soraya Thronicke (União Brasil-MS), who questions the delay of the President of the Senate.

She obtained the number of signatures for the opening of a CPI in the Senate shortly after the acts of vandalism in Brasília.

During this Tuesday’s meeting of leaders (28), Pacheco asked senators to update the list of parliamentarians who support the investigation – which, in practice, should reduce the list, since the government leaders themselves signed the document in January.

Thronicke’s request has the support of 40 senators in this legislature — 13 more than necessary. Another 12, however, had also signed the document, but their terms ended last month.

“The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry was requested in the last legislature, with sufficient signatures and a determined fact. Now, we have to consult those senators who signed the CPI about the maintenance and ratification of those signatures, because there was a change of legislature”, said Pacheco in this third.

“With this ratification, the request will be read in plenary. There is no delay on the part of the Senate presidency, because not even the opportunity for a reading session has taken place”, he added, stating that the same will be done in relation to the CPMI .

Collaborated Danielle Brant