Report expands the carrying of weapons and places MST in terrorism – 09/22/2023 – Daily

The set of legislative proposals attached to the MST CPI report, written by federal deputy Ricardo Salles (PL-SP), includes a 2014 project by then deputy Jair Bolsonaro (PL) that makes the carrying of weapons more flexible for rural landowners and parliamentarians and others that can include social movements under terrorism laws.

In total, the report by Salles, Bolsonaro’s former Environment Minister, suggests 23 projects, recent or old, as a result of the CPI’s work.

The set of texts proposes increasing penalties for land invasion and water usurpation, changing criteria for access to agrarian reform, cutting benefits for those involved in land conflicts and preventing them from holding public office, in addition to eliminating mediation devices for reintegration of possession.

The document calls for the indictment of 11 people, including former GSI minister Gonçalves Dias and one of the leaders of the landless movement, José Rainha.

The full text, attached with the list of indictees and the legislative proposals, was published only during the reading of the report, this Thursday morning (21). It should be voted on next week, after a collective request for views.

Among the bills suggested by Salles is one by Bolsonaro, from 2014, which includes a series of categories to those authorized to carry weapons under the Disarmament Statute.

Among them, “residents in rural areas, within the limits of their property”; the proposal also provides that “the possession of a firearm may be granted to people who justify the need for their personal safety or that of their property.”

The project adds to the statute acting parliamentarians, collectors, journalists covering police, environmental and labor inspection agents and cargo transport drivers — some of these groups may already, by specific laws or in certain circumstances, have the status.

There is also a project by deputy Major Vitor Hugo (PL-GO), which in turn rescues another proposal by Bolsonaro, which creates a series of anti-terrorism provisions that can be used to frame social movements.

The project has already been the target of criticism from entities such as Conectas and Article 19. According to the entities, the proposal potentially creates “exceptional legislation that violates fundamental rights”.

“The approval of the proposal would be disproportionate and highly harmful to fundamental rights and the guiding principles of the Constitution, since it is based on extremely broad definitions, which open clear gaps for distorted interpretations and serious arbitrariness”, says the note.

There is also another project that aims to include “armed invasion of private lands, plots, lots, houses or rural properties” as a terrorist act, in addition to proposals to classify the expropriation or occupation of properties in the same category.

In practice, these provisions would turn accusations of crimes committed by the MST, such as invasion of property, for example, into terrorism crimes.

Two proposals attached to the report, one from Salles himself and the other from the president of the CPI, Coronel Zucco (Republicanos-ES), have the same objective: to suspend a resolution by the CNJ (National Council of Justice) that establishes procedures for reintegration of possession.

Among the devices provided for by the resolution that would fall if the project was approved are mediation instruments.

“The issuance of a writ of repossession in collective possession actions will be preceded by a public hearing or preparatory meeting, in which the action plan and eviction schedule will be drawn up, with the presence of the occupants and their lawyers, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office , social assistance bodies, social movements or residents’ associations”, says the CNJ text.

A series of other proposals aim to increase the penalty for invasion or embezzlement, some with punishment of up to 30 years in prison, in addition to proposing to cut federal benefits for anyone involved in agrarian conflicts and prevent these people from holding public office or running for office. elections.

For Maria Trajan, coordinator of Article 19, both the CPI and the projects attached to the report expand a scenario of attempts to criminalize social movements.

“Although they do not create a criminal type that deals exclusively with social movements, settlements or occupations, they are projects that enter into a context of criminalization of these movements, together with the CPI”, he says.