[ad_1]
BRASILIA – The Federal Police summoned President Jair Bolsonaro this Wednesday afternoon to testify personally in the investigation that investigates undue interference in the corporation. The summons was made through the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation (AGU), before the AGU appealed to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) for the statement to be made in writing.
Pf: Carlos and Eduardo Bolsonaro are summoned to testify on anti-democratic acts
In the summons, the PF gave the president the possibility to choose between September 21, 22 or 23 at 2:00 p.m. to give his testimony and warned that he has the right to remain silent. You also have the right not to attend, which will be interpreted as the option to remain silent.
In this sense, the Honorable President of the Republic is informed of the right to remain silent and the right not to present evidence against him, as well as the personal absence to the judicial police hearing will be understood as an option for the exercise of the right constitutional silence ”, reads the summons sent by the PF to the AGU.
The defense of the former Minister of Justice and Public Security Sergio Moro was also summoned to participate in the deposition and may ask the president questions.
STF Minister Celso de Mello had determined that Bolsonaro’s testimony should be given in person, without the right to testify in writing. The minister understood that the written testimony is only valid if the president was heard as a witness. While Bolsonaro is being investigated for alleged crimes in an attempt to undue interference with the PF, he needs to personally testify.
Ministry of Justice: defends anti-democratic acts as the right to freedom of expression
The AGU had until next Monday to appeal the minister’s decision. However, as the subpoena was issued today, the AGU stepped forward and filed the appeal on Wednesday. The appeal, however, does not have suspensive effect, so it does not interrupt the summons already made.
The investigation was opened based on the accusations made by former Justice Minister Sergio Moro in his resignation. On the occasion, Moro said that Bolsonaro pressed to change the PF superintendent in Rio and the PF director general and that he would be interested in stopping investigations that targeted his allies, such as the investigation of fake news.
After the statements, the Attorney General of the Republic Augusto Aras asked the STF, at the end of April, to open an investigation to investigate the facts denounced. The PF took testimony from Moro, federal police officers who may have witnessed the pressure, and members of the federal government. In addition, the PF collected material from the minister’s cell phone, with the exchanges of messages between him and Bolsonaro, and collected documents on the subject, such as the existence of ongoing investigations in the PF in Rio that could justify the pressure from the president.
The case is already in the final stretch and Bolsonaro’s testimony is one of the last steps to take. Subsequently, the PF will prepare a report on the facts and will indicate if there was a characterization of the crime by the president. Based on this report, Aras will decide whether to file a complaint against Bolsonaro or close the investigation.
