Brazil: right-wing MP arrested after making threats against Supreme Court
The arrested policeman is part of President Jair Bolsonaro's shock troop (here, February 5, 2021 in Brasilia).
EVARISTO SA AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Brazil is experiencing a resurgence of political tension: a Bolsonarist deputy, Daniel Silveira was arrested on the night of February 16 to 17 after having violently attacked and insulted members of the Federal Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is currently meeting to confirm the detention of the elected extreme right or to decide to release him.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in São Paulo,
Martin Bernard
In Brazil, Bolsonarist deputy Daniel Silveira launched extremely violent and aggressive attacks against Supreme Court judges.
In a video, he calls them "
good for nothing
" and accuses them of cowardice and corruption.
The 38-year-old former police officer insinuates that judges are going to be beaten in the streets.
Daniel Silveira is part of President Bolsonaro's shock troop.
The far-right MP has already participated in anti-democratic demonstrations in favor of the closure of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, target of the far right
This Supreme Court has become one of the targets of the far right because justice has intervened on several occasions in the political debate in Brazil to defend democratic institutions, against what it considers to be an authoritarian drift of power.
Daniel Silveira also defended the most repressive phase of the military regime.
According to Judge Alexandre de Moraes who ordered his arrest, "
these are not isolated acts but a strategy to weaken democratic institutions
".
The MP's lawyers, however, denounced a "
violent attack
" on freedom of expression.
► To read also: Brazil: double blow for Bolsonaro who places two allies at the head of the chambers of Congress
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Brazil
Justice
Jair Bolsonaro
On the same subject
Report
Brazil: the right marches in the streets of Rio to demand the dismissal of Bolsonaro
Report
Thousands of Brazilians demonstrate against Bolsonaro's handling of the pandemic
Brazil: double blow for Bolsonaro who places two allies at the head of the chambers of Congress