RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The recent allegations against President Jair Bolsonaro made by the ex-Minister of Justice, Sérgio Moro, may have repercussions that will impact Brazilian politics. The facts, deemed serious by many jurists, have led leftist Tarso Genro (PT), a minister of justice under former President Lula, governor and now attorney,to state emphatically that Sérgio Moro may go to jail, and President Jair Bolsonaro may be prevented from remaining in the Presidency.
The crimes committed by both are also clear to the leftist minister of justice under former President Dilma, José Eduardo Cardozo (PT). “I have no doubt whatsoever that Bolsonaro’s actions would qualify as an [impeachable] crime of responsibility. The account provided by ex-Minister Sérgio Moro of what happened, the facts he denounced, when added to others committed by Jair Bolsonaro, undeniably qualify as a crime of responsibility, in my opinion”.
One of the lawsuits is underway at the highest court in Brazil, the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The court will have a vacant seat next November, upon retirement of its oldest Justice, and this vacancy may have been used as a bargaining chip between ex-Minister Moro and politicians linked to Jair Bolsonaro, or even directly by the President. This is what Tarso Genro says, based on Sérgio Moro’s declarations.
“An investigation is being opened at the Federal Supreme Court (STF) to determine the President’s responsibilities. In having committed crimes such as administrative law, for one. Or obstruction of justice. And Moro will also be investigated.”
Sérgio Moro’s arrest may be requested by the STF, according to Tarso Genro: “If he (Moro) can’t prove what he said, which will be easy in my opinion, he may be sued for slander. This lawsuit could lead to the President’s resignation or impeachment, and it could also lead to former Judge Moro’s imprisonment”.
Rogério Carvalho, leader of the Workers’ Party (PT) in the Federal Senate, said ex-Minister Sérgio Moro’s actions were “criminal”. “Moro has no credibility to bring charges. He has negotiated and criminally used institutions for political persecution. Moro is firing out to remain in the political game, where he has always been”.
Murder of opponents
Among Jair Bolsonaro’s grave actions listed by Tarso Genro, one is that the assassination of political opponents may have been considered by the President.
“Since taking office as President and publicly praising torture, he also reiterated at other times that he would like to sacrifice, assassinate opponents, he has turned out to be a President who is incompatible with any democratic rule of law,” Genro said. He further states that the President commits, “one impeachable crime a day,” on average.
Tarso Genro also criticizes the “reforms” promoted by the current government. “The ultraliberal reforms. Such as the complete extermination of labor legislation. Today we have a quasi medieval protective system, here in Brazilian society”.
Manipulation of cases
The so-called “Lava-Jato Operation” cases, which resulted in the arrest of the ex-president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other politicians and entrepreneurs, were partly “manipulated,” according to Tarso Genro.
“Judge Sérgio Moro manipulated evidence, manipulated procedures against President Lula”. Furthermore, Tarso Genro said Moro used his power as a judge at the time to pull Lula out of the presidential election that led to Jair Bolsonaro’s victory. “Judge Sérgio Moro violated procedural legality several times to convict President Lula, to remove him from the presidential race and elect Bolsonaro”.
Relationship “went sour”
The fact served as a stepping stone for Moro to take over the Ministry of Justice. However, the relationship between Moro and the President came to an end because the two began to “compete”. “That relationship became competitive between the two. Each with his own schemes, his own clandestine political relations, or open, with the mainstream media. And there came a point when former Judge Sérgio Moro turned into a nuisance”.
The main reason for the feud between Moro and Bolsonaro was the President’s persistent request for interference in the Federal Police. “The President intended to virtually turn the Federal Police into a ‘political police’, a kind of Gestapo, a KGB, instrumentalizing the intelligence system to monitor and undoubtedly destroy and demoralize any opponents,” says Tarso Genro.
Another fact listed as “serious” concerns the purported “pension to family members,” which Moro is said to have requested. “And as a prerequisite for joining the Ministry, he even asked for a pension for his family the moment he left the Ministry. In Brazilian law this is a complete absurdity, and I think that in any formal state of law this is a complete absurdity,” Tarso says.
“He (Bolsonaro) thinks he is the State. And as such, the Federal Police (PF) has to be directed to attend to what he wants, either to target his enemies or to spare his allies or relatives. So he tried to interfere with the Federal Police,” says José Eduardo Cardozo.