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The defense of the former Minister of Justice of Brazil Sergio Moro demanded on Tuesday that a video be released in which it would be proven that President Jair Bolsonaro tried to “interfere” politically and illegally with the Federal Police.
The video in question is from a meeting of Bolsonaro with a group of ministers, was recorded at the headquarters of the Presidency and analyzed this Tuesday in the framework of an investigation that tries to determine if the president incurred in any crime, as Moro has hinted, who resigned from the Government for these alleged “interferences”.
According to the lawyer Rodrigo Sánchez Rios, who represents Moro, the material “fully confirms” the suspicions voiced by the former judge of the Lava Jato operation in relation to Bolsonaro, reason why “it is extremely important” that its content, until now under summary secrecy, be disclosed.
Sources close to the investigation cited by local media have considered that the video could really put the president in trouble, who at that ministerial meeting would have explained that he intended to change the superintendent of the Federal Police in Rio de Janeiro to “protect his family” from an alleged “persecution”.
Although it is not confirmed that Bolsonaro has said that, political sources have long spoken of the president’s alleged interest in investigations by the Federal Police in Rio that could affect two of his children, Senator Flavio and Councilman Carlos.
Speaking to journalists after Moro’s defense request, Bolsonaro denied that in that meeting with ministers he had referred to the Federal Police, He assured that the video “cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality issues” and even maintained that it should have been “destroyed”, without specifying why.
Changes in the Police after Moro’s resignation
That ministerial meeting was last April 22, two days before Moro’s resignation, When announcing his resignation, he denounced “unacceptable pressures” on the part of Bolsonaro in relation to the Federal Police, an autonomous body subordinate to the Judiciary, although its director is appointed by the President of the Republic.
In fact, on the same day of Moro’s resignation, the director of the Federal Police, Mauricio Valeixo, was dismissed and replaced by Commissioner Alexandre Ramagem, who maintains ties of friendship with the Bolsonaro family.
Because of this proximity, Ramagem’s appointment was annulled by a Supreme Court judge and the president then appointed Ronaldo Souza, considered a man very close to that commissioner, to the post.
Souza’s first decision as director of the Federal Police was to dismiss the superintendent of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Henrique Oliveira, who according to Bolsonaro said will assume the position of national deputy director of that autonomous body.
Moro’s insinuations led the Attorney General’s Office to open an investigation into the president’s conduct, which is being carried out under the supervision of the dean of the Supreme Court, Celso de Mello.
In the framework of that investigation, this Tuesday it is expected that the Ministers of the Presidency, Walter Braga Netto; Institutional Security, Augusto Heleno, and Government Secretary, Luiz Eduardo Ramos.
According to Moro, there were three ministers who participated in the cabinet meeting recorded in the video that his defense is now asking to be made public.
If the Prosecutor’s Office concludes that Bolsonaro exerted illegal political pressure, he should file a formal complaint with the Supreme Court, which in turn should request authorization from the Chamber of Deputies to initiate the corresponding process.
At that point, if an eventual complaint were accepted, Bolsonaro would be removed from office for the 180 days that the trial would last and replaced by Vice President Hamilton Mourao, who would end the mandate that expires on January 1, 2023, if the ruler were found guilty.
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