• Brazil: Former judge Sergio Moro resigns from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice

The Supreme Court of Justice ordered the investigation of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaroa, whom he accused former Minister of Justice Sergio Moro of having politically interfered with the Judiciary.

The decision was made by magistrate Celso de Mello who on Monday responded to the request made the previous Friday by the Attorney General of the Nation, Augusto Aras.

Moro, who as judge led former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to prison, announced his resignation on Friday after Bolsonaro dismissed the director general of the Federal Police, Mauricio Valeixo.

During the speech in which he announced his resignation, the former judge questioned the president's political interference in the appointment of technical positions, including that of the director of the Federal Police. He suggested that this interference in the appointments was intended to stop a series of judicial investigations that would compromise three of Bolsonaro's sons : federal deputy Eduardo, Senator Flávio and Rio de Janeiro councilman Carlos.

Two of the processes that dot the clan address a supposed "hate cabinet" that would be directed by Carlos and would be dedicated to spreading hoaxes against his political adversaries on the networks; and another would affect Flávio for allegedly illegally confiscating part of the salaries of his collaborators during his time as councilor in Rio.

According to magistrate Celso de Mello, it is possible to open an investigation against Bolsonaro since the events narrated by Moro are related to the exercise of the office of the president. According to the Brazilian Constitution, the President cannot be investigated for acts that have occurred outside the exercise of his mandate.

The opening of the investigation in the Supreme Court aims to clarify whether Bolsonaro committed an eventual crime of ideological falsehood, coercion, prevarication or obstruction of Justice, among others.

An Evangelical Pastor, New Minister of Justice

Bolsonaro announced this Tuesday as the new Minister of Justice and Public Security the Presbyterian lawyer and pastor André de Almeida Mendonça, to replace former judge Sergio Moro.

The decision was published in the Official Gazette, where the president also announced the appointment of Alexandre Ramagen, a trusted man of the Bolsonaro clan, as the new director of the Federal Police, replacing Mauricio Valeixo, whose dismissal led to Moro's departure. .

The new minister, who is also pastor of the Presbyterian church, was in charge of the State Advocacy Office. De Almedia Mendoça was not Bolsonaro's first option to direct the Justice portfolio.

The far-right leader wanted Jorge Oliveira, current head of the Secretary-General of the Presidency and a man of his close confidence, but preferred to choose a person with a more technical profile, after the hints made about his management by the former Judge Moro the day of his resignation.

In the same decree in which he appointed the new Minister of Justice, the president announced as director of the Federal Police Alexandre Ramage, who was Bolsonaro's escort during the electoral campaign in October 2018 and a friend of the family since then.

After a year and a half in power, Bolsonaro is currently experiencing the greatest political crisis of his mandate, which adds to the problems he faces due to the coronavirus pandemic, which already leaves more than 4,200 dead and is approaching 70,000 confirmed cases.

To his repeated insistence on considering COVID-19 as a "gripita", which already made him question his management in the face of the pandemic, the departure of two of his "star" ministers joins in less than ten days, since In addition to the resignation last Friday of former judge Moro, eight days before the departure of the holder of the Health portfolio, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, took place.

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  • Jair Bolsonaro
  • Brazil
  • Coronavirus

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