Supreme Court Justice Orders Release of Bolsonaro’s Cabinet Meeting Video

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Federal Supreme Court (STF) Justice Celso de Mello yesterday, May 22nd, ordered the removal of the partial confidentiality of the video recording of the cabinet meeting held on April 22nd. According to the decision, only the portion of the meeting involving discussions over other countries will not be disclosed.

The justice is the rapporteur of the inquiry into President Jair Bolsonaro’s alleged political interference in the Federal Police (PF). The meeting was cited by ex-Minister of Justice and Public Safety Sérgio Moro during a deposition to the Federal Police earlier this month as alleged evidence of interference.

Last week, before Justice Celso de Mello’s decision, Federal Prosecutor General Augusto Aras argued for the STF to disclose only the President’s statements regarding the investigation. In his opinion, Aras stated that the disclosure of the full cabinet meeting goes against constitutional rules and principles of investigation.

The Solicitor General’s Office (AGU) also advocated disclosure of all the President’s remarks but requested that confidentiality be maintained in the event of statements by other officials present concerning “friendly nations” and “potentially sensitive” comments by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Monetary Authority (Central Bank).

Moro’s defense also submitted its request and called for the meeting to be fully disclosed.

Since Moro’s resignation, the President has denied that he asked the then Minister to interfere in PF’s investigations.

In one of the excerpts from the PF’s recording, Jair Bolsonaro complains about newspaper articles against members of his family and talks about the Presidency’s information system.

“My private works. The ofi… those who have it officially, misinform. And to get back to the point: I’d rather not have information than be misinformed by the information system that I have. So, guys, a lot of people will be able to leave Brazil, but I don’t want to leave and see my sister from Eldorado, the other one from Cajati, my poor Army Captain brother from Miracatu (profanity)! How he gets chased all the time. The (profanity) Folha de S.Paulo says that my brother was expelled from a butcher in Registro, buying meat without a mask. He proved on paper that he was in São Paulo that day. The owner of the restaurant, of the butcher, said that he was not there. And that’s why. I know it’s his problem, right?”

“But it’s the (profanity) all the time trying to hurt me, messing with my family. I already tried to change our security in Rio de Janeiro and I couldn’t. That is over. I’m not going to wait for [the federal police] to f* my family and friends just for shits and giggles because I can’t change someone from security at the end of the line, under our structure. There will be a change! If I can’t change him, I’ll change his boss! I can’t change his boss? Change the Minister! And that’s it! We’re not here to play games.”

At another part of the meeting, the President said he could not be surprised by press reports.

“I cannot be surprised by the news. I have the federal police that do not give me information. I have the armed forces intelligence that does not give me information. The intelligence agency, I have some information. I don’t have any more because we have some problems! Equipment, etc. But we can’t live without information. Without information… who has never stood behind the door listening to what your son or daughter was talking about. You have to check or… what if then she gets pregnant, it’s no use talking to her anymore. You have to check it before…after the kid’s got his head full of drugs, it’s no use talking to him anymore, he’s gone.”

Source: Agência Brasil