Glenn Greenwald and his Family Threatened Over Brazilian Lava-Jato Leaks

By Newsfeed/AFP/Telesur

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – U.S. journalist Glenn Greenwald said on Thursday, June 13th, that he has received “grotesque” threats also targeting his husband and children after publishing leaked chats purportedly showing Brazil’s Justice Minister Sérgio Moro, celebrated by many in Brazil as a national hero when a judge, conspired to keep leftist icon Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva out of the 2018 presidential race.

Greenwald told AFP “political violence is a reality” in Brazil and he would not leave the country after The Intercept investigative website he co-founded released explosive material that had cast doubt on Sérgio Moro’s impartiality when he was an anti-corruption judge.

Greenwald’s husband, David Miranda, federal Deputy for the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) and LGBT activist also denounced on Wednesday an e-mail he received from a paramilitary group threatening his mother with death and extorting him for US$10,000 (R$39,000). The e-mail also referred to the murder of Rio lawmaker Marielle Franco.

The Telegram chats – provided to The Intercept by an anonymous source – had triggered calls for the resignation of Moro, who spearheaded a massive graft investigation known as Car Wash before he joined President Jair Bolsonaro’s cabinet in January.

“We knew that when we were going to report on very powerful figures who are part of the Bolsonaro government that was going to generate a lot of hatred, animosity, and threats,” Greenwald said a day after The Intercept released more conversations between Moro and Car Wash chief prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol.

“We have received some disgusting, detailed and grotesque, graphic threats that are pretty disturbing and we do take seriously,” he said.

(Sources: AFP and TeleSur)