Opposition wants to summon Rui Costa and Gonçalves Dias to the MST CPI

The Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) of the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST) scheduled a meeting for the afternoon of this Tuesday (11) to vote on the requests for summoning the Minister of the Civil House, Rui Costa, and the former minister from the Institutional Security Office (GSI), Gonçalves Dias.

Rui Costa is mentioned in the requests as “an expert on the activities carried out by the MST”. He was governor of Bahia between 2015 and 2023 and, therefore, must be summoned, as a witness, to provide clarification on MST actions and measures to repossess invaded lands in Bahia. In addition, he must provide clarification on the invasions during the current government.

Gonçalves Dias, in turn, should be summoned, at the request of the CPI’s rapporteur, deputy Ricardo Salles (PL-SP), to provide clarification on the actions of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) in monitoring land invasions that occurred during the current government when under his management as a minister.

In addition to Rui Costa and Gonçalves Dias, a vote is scheduled to call the president of Suzano Papel e Celulose, Walter Schalka, to clarify facts related to the MST’s invasions of the company’s properties.

Calls must face resistance from deputies who defend the MST

Without the prediction of votes in the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, the meeting to vote on the requirements could be extended, in view of the possibility of presenting the so-called “obstruction kit” by the government base that defends the MST in the CPI.

The obstruction kit comprises a series of instruments and practices that parliamentarians use to delay or avoid voting on a given matter. Obstruction is generally used when an issue is controversial or, as is the case, the intention is to avoid summoning members of the government, for example.

Last week, the meetings of all the commissions were canceled by the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL) to guarantee the concentrated effort in the vote of the Tributary Reform in the plenary. Interlocutors linked to the CPI claim that Lira’s movement was a maneuver to try to postpone the MST’s CPI summons.