Zanin opens investigation to investigate PT member’s slap on opposition deputy

The minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Cristiano Zanin ordered this Monday (8) the opening of an investigation to investigate federal deputy Washington Quaquá (PT-RJ) for having slapped his colleague Messias Donato (Republicanos-RJ) in the face. ES). The attack occurred during the ceremony to enact the tax reform in the Chamber plenary in December 2023.

Last week, the Attorney General’s Office defended the opening of the investigation. The Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Hindemburgo Chateaubriand, asked the STF to notify Quaquá so that, if it deems it necessary, it can present explanations about the case within 15 days. Furthermore, the agency asked YouTube to preserve videos with images of the moment of the attack.

Zanin authorized the Federal Police to carry out the measures requested by the PGR. He established that the investigation must take place within 60 days, after this period a new conclusion of the case will be made.

“At least from what has been gathered so far, the facts narrated in the ministerial statement may constitute a criminal offense, with evidentiary elements capable of supporting an investigation”, wrote the rapporteur. According to the decision, the police authority pointed out the “possible commission of the crime of real injury” in the episode.

At the time, opposition parliamentarians were demonstrating against the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) at the event. After a brief discussion, Quaquá says he will sue the Ethics Council against government opponents who sang “Lula the thief, he belongs in prison”. Donato apparently asks him to move away and is slapped in the face.

Before the attack, Quaquá made an insult apparently directed at deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), calling the parliamentarian a “faggot”. Shortly after the episode, Donato filed a police report against Quaquá for allegedly committing the crime of insult. The PT member serves as national vice-president of Lula’s party.

The minister stated that opening the investigation is a practice within the scope of the investigation. “I emphasize that the initiation of an investigation does not, in any way, bind the formulation of a judgment regarding the provenance or unfoundedness of the evidence of authorship or materiality, qualifying only as a formal act suitable for granting a regular procedure to the investigations that begin in this Supreme Court ”, highlighted Zanin.

On December 20, 2023, when the episode occurred, the PT deputy stated, in a note on social media, that the slap was a “reaction” to a “previous aggression”. He said he was pushed and accused Donato of “uttering insults” against Lula.