Protests against Dino at the STF take place on Sunday, December 10

Demonstrations against the nomination of the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Flávio Dino, to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) take place this Sunday (10) in several cities in Brazil. The call to the streets has had the support of parliamentarians who are more firmly in opposition to the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

Federal deputies Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), Carla Zambelli (PL-SP), Mario Frias (PL-SP), André Fernandes (PL-CE), Gustavo Gayer (PL-GO), Paulo Bilynskyi (PL-SP) , Maurício do Vôlei (PL-MG) and Marcel Van Hattem (Novo-RS) and senators Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE) Magno Malta (PL-ES) are some of those who called the population to the streets.

“We must now return to the streets frequently, the way we have always done: peacefully and interested in a better country. At this specific moment, it is essential that we declare our rejection of Dino’s name as nominated by Lula for the Supreme Court”, says Van Hattem.

Dino is one of the most radical and controversial ministers in the Lula government, and he had many fights with the opposition during the first year of his term. He made it difficult for the CPMI on January 8th to access images from the Ministry of Justice from the day of the demonstrations. Furthermore, he missed several calls made by the Public Security and Combating Organized Crime Committee of the Chamber of Deputies.

For Eduardo Girão, there are plenty of reasons to reject Dino. “He mocked [dos parlamentares] when he went to the Senate. In the Chamber, the hearing was even missed. He disrespected parliamentarians, on the issue, for example, of CPMI images. He is an avowed communist, at a time when we are experiencing a “dictatorship”, today, in Brazil, in the toga. And he himself says that it is necessary to control the media; that, if Congress didn’t do it, he would do it as Minister of Justice and in the Supreme Court. It is a threat to the Brazilian population. The population must unite in an orderly, respectful, peaceful, but firm manner, calling on their representatives not to approve [a indicação]. Brazil needs pacification, and not a person who – he, yes – has blood in his eyes against his political opponents”, comments the senator.

Movements that are helping to organize the demonstrations want to focus on the anti-Dino agenda in the STF. “The official agenda is ‘Dino, no.’ position. Obviously, throughout the demonstration, there may be one or another speech talking about another subject, but the demonstration is specific, with a single agenda: ‘Dino, no’ for the STF”, says Lúcio Flávio, one of the national coordinators of the Family March.

The expectation is that more than 20 cities will participate in the demonstrations. In addition to politicians, well-known right-wing influencers, such as former judge Sebastião Coelho, are helping with the call.

For federal deputy Maurício Marcon (Podemos-RS), Dino’s ideological radicalism, who is openly sympathetic to communism and was once a member of the PCdoB, is detrimental to his role as a judge in the Supreme Court.

“The importance of this 10th is: ‘Dino, no!’ He is a guy who has already declared himself a communist, who has a side. A side that is not that of our Federal Constitution. We hope to reverse some votes, just as happened on October 25th, when a government nomination for the DPU [Defensoria Pública da União] was rejected”, stated the deputy.

Focus is on “Dino, no”, but other themes should come into play

Although the flag against Dino’s nomination is the main one, other issues should be part of the demonstrations. The death of businessman Cleriston Pereira da Cunha (Clezão), a January 8 protester who recently died in Papuda due to health complications, will also be remembered. Clezão’s wife must participate in the events.

“It is not possible to remain silent in the face of a death like the one that occurred in Papuda de Cleriston Pereira da Cunha, the responsibility of the Brazilian State and particularly of Minister Alexandre de Moraes”, says Van Hattem.

In the Senate plenary, senator Magno Malta (PL-ES) confirmed his participation in the events and recalled what happened with Cleriston. “On the 10th, we will be at the Esplanada dos Ministérios here, without fear. We are supported by the constitutional text, even though it is “not in force”. In the morning here, and in the afternoon I will be at Paulista, in São Paulo, without fear, without chaos, for freedom, for the memory of Clezão”, said Malta.

The parliamentarian also criticized Dino and stated that he did not believe that the Minister of Justice would “change his stance” if he took up a position in the Supreme Court. Last Wednesday (29), the head of Justice and Public Security had stated that “whoever wears the toga no longer has a political side”.

“The Senate has a moral duty to reject the name of Flávio Dino, for everything that happened in the very ‘recent’ past, a few weeks ago. The person cannot change overnight. It was mockery of Parliament; it was negligence , there at CPMI, in which the three of us participate, the image business; a disrespect to our colleagues in Parliament”, added the senator.

Dino’s approval of the STF is taken for granted, but the evangelical bench can help stop it

Behind the scenes in the Senate, Dino’s approval by the Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) and the House Plenary is taken for granted. In several interviews with the press, senator Weverton Rocha (PDT-MA), rapporteur for the appointment of the Minister of Justice, stated that Dino has a minimum of 50 votes.

“Each person has their own position, they will make their bet. I would say that the nominee for the Supreme Court has a minimum of 50 votes and a ceiling of 62. If it were today, I would risk 53 [votos]”, stated the rapporteur in an interview with the channel CNN.

In the vote count, the Evangelical Front of the Senate could be decisive for Dino. With 15 members, the heterogeneous group accounts for around a fifth of the votes in the plenary and can define the confirmation or rejection of the nomination, if the tendency for a tight score continues.

On this front, Dino is opposed by senators like Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), but has the help of names like Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA).

See protest locations and times

The Family March, which helps organize the event, sent the People’s Gazette locations and times of demonstrations across Brazil. The list is still being updated and may undergo changes. The information is divided by states, in alphabetical order.

Amazon
Manaus: 4pm, Ponta Negra.

Bahia
Salvador: 10am, Farol da Barra.

Federal District
Brasília: 10am, Esplanada dos Ministérios.

Holy Spirit
Vitória: 2pm, Praça do Papa.

Maranhão
São Luís: 10am, Praça do Pescador.
Imperatriz: 10am, Praça Brasil.

Mato Grosso do Sul
Campo Grande: 8am, Praça do Rádio.

Minas Gerais
Belo Horizonte: 10am, Praça da Liberdade.

Paraíba
João Pessoa: 3:30 pm, Bust of Tamandaré.

Paraná
Arapongas: 9am, Praça Mauá de Arapongas.
Guarapuava: 3pm, Praça Cleve.
Apucarana: 3pm, Praça Rui Barbosa.

Pernambuco
Recife: 2pm, Avenida Boa Viagem.

Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro: 10am, Posto 5 – Copacabana.

large northern river
Christmas: 3pm, Largo do Ateneu.

Rio Grande do Sul
Porto Alegre: 2pm, Parcão on Avenida Goethe.

Rondônia
Porto Velho: 4pm, Alternative Space.
Ji-Paraná: 4pm, Praça Biblia.

Roraima
Boa Vista: 5pm, Praça Centro Cívico.

Santa Catarina
Florianópolis: 2pm, Trapiche Beira-Mar.

São Paulo
São Paulo: 2pm, Avenida Paulista (MASP).
Bauru: 10am, Avenida Nações Norte.
Pindamonhangaba: 8am, Praça Cruzeiro.
Jundiaí: 10am, Avenida 9 de Julho.
São José dos Campos: 10am, DCTA.

Sergipe
Aracaju: 3:30 pm, Mirante Calçadão 13 de Julho.

Tocantins
Palmas: 4pm, Praça dos Girassóis.