• SUPER SHORT: 1/13: The Minister of Citizenship #JoaoRoma announced the launch of a new welfare program in November. The ideia behind it is to provide with more “TOOLS” for the recipient to get out of it. 2/13: Brazil's #GDP growth and the #inflation in 2021, at this moment, is predicted to be 5.3 and 5.9 percent respectively. In May, the GDP was predicted at 3.5%. 3/13: The gov't is testing the delivery of educational material to some cities by ships and boats, 430 tons, and is expecting to save costs and reach places faster. 4/13: #Highschool in Brazil should start changing in 2022 by offering four sets of curriculums for the student to choose from depending on the area of interest. This will be implemented in three 1-per-year phases in 4 out of 176 thousand public schools. 5/13: President #Bolsonaro's next motorcycle ride should be in the State of #Amazon. 6/13: We don't know if #China took the opportunity of the attention the protests in #Cuba brought to their Marxism-based economic/political system, but their Embassy in Brazil tweeted, “THE #SOCIALISM WITH CHINESE FEATURES PROVED TO BE A SUCCESS, FITTING CHINA'S NATIONAL INSTERESTS AND THE TIMES. OCCIDENTAL POLLS SHOW THAT 90% PLUS [OF THE POPULATION] HAVE SHOWN TO BE PLEASED AND SUPPORT THE #CCP AND THE GOVERNMENT, THE HIGHEST RATE IN THE WORLD.” 7/13: General #BragaNeto was summoned to give explanations to the #Congress for a note released by the #ArmedForces criticizing the #COVIDProbe (#CPIdaCOVID) committee for them wanting to hear him without any formal accusation, stating, “THE ARMED FORCES WON'T ACCEPT AN UNGROUNDED ATTACK ON INSTITUTIONS THAT DEFEND DEMOCRACY AND THE FREEDOM OF THE BRAZILIAN PEOPLE.” 8/13: #Congress approved nearly tripling the public funding for the political parties' general expenses and for their campaigns in 2022. The proposed nearly-6-billion-real funding bill now heads to the #Senate. 9/13: The minimum salary in #Brazil should increase from the current 1,100 to 1,147 reals in 2022. Since the beginning of the #Bolsonaro administration until this year, it rose 10.2%. In the previous 3 years it rose 13.4%. 10/13: The #PTParty of #SantaCatarina appealed to the #SupremeCourt (#STF) for the end of a state ban on the use of made-up neutral language. 11/13: #Congress was going to vote on the bill for the addition of paper trail to the voting machines Friday, but due to lack of quorum, only 2 to go, it was postponed for August 5th. 12/13: Last Sunday, President #Bolsonaro attended another motorcycle rally, this time in #PortoAlegre. The attendance was very good. 13/13: President #Bolsonaro confirmed #AndreMendonca as his choice to take #MarcoAurelio's seat as #SupremeCourt justice. Aurelio left his position last Monday after 31 years of service. Mendonça has now to speak in the #Senate.
• Congresswoman #PaulaBelmonte, DF, saw her bill for lowering congresspeople's salary benefits be approved in #Congress. It's now heading to the #Senate. A bill like this to pass is unthinkable, but it's explained due to its limited and timid effects, since it will only limit the benefits of what is called 'super salaries,' affecting a tiny percentage of government officials, but this is positive step in the right direction nevertheless.
• Marcos Roberto Correia da Silva (we will refer to him as #MRCS) is a hacker and worked with the hacking group #VandaTheGod. He and his team, composed of 6 others, some from other countries, were able to invade several government websites and break into systems. According to him, it was all with the purpose of protesting, never to steal data. Among the websites they hacked were the #ArmedForces', the #MinasGerais Police Force's, the #Senate's, and the SupremeJusticeCourt's (#STJ's, not to be confused with the #SupremeCourt [#STF]). He was in jail for some time and, as soon as he left jail in August last year, he reengaged in hacking, and since 2020 was city elections, he and his team took the chance to hack the #ElectoralSupremeCourt (#STE) website in order to get access to the voting system, and they did, resulting in the vote count to be interrupted for a couple of hours. He was identified by an American-Israeli technology company called #CheckPoint, arrested and is currently in jail. Congressman #FilipeBarros, who is the reviewer of the paper trail bill, interviewed him. MRCS stated that many of the hackers that he had contact with are Iranians, and also that the vulnerabilities on government websites are big and the consequent invasion into systems is not hard. He said that changing the final result of an electronic voting electoral system like ours is not easy, but it is relatively easy to change the vote that's being transmitted from the voting stations to the #TSE, since the system has to go online at some point to collect the data from across the country.
• Now and then, some famous Brazilian artists engage in a campaign against the #Bolsonaro administration. The reason is the change the Ministry of Culture is bringing to the #RouanetLaw, a law that was created with the purpose of subsidizing small artists. Over time, the left started to use this law to fund big artists, artists that don't need its money to make money, since they are good and famous enough to attract a good audience. It seems to have paid off. Despite the gov't wanting to give the money to those who have little to no means, some artists engaged in another round of criticism, even recording a song that was mostly disliked. Absolutely nothing he's doing is good for them, corruption is as big as before he was elected, and he is committing a genocide. #PauloCoelho, one of these it-doesn't-matter-what never-Bolsonaro artists, quite famous worldwide and whose wealth allowed him to live away from Brazil since 2007, tweeted in 2016, “IF IT WERE UP TO ME, THEY COULD END THE ROUANET LAW, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE WEALTHY HELPING OUT THE WEALTHY. WE NEED A DIFFERENT LAW. THE CURRENT ONE IS FULL OF LOOPHOLES.” The law prohibits the funding of political projects, but this restriction was never followed to the letter. Coelho himself applied to get funding for a jazz festival in #Bahia recently, but the first time the name of the project was announced it read “FOR DEMOCRACY ANTIFASCIST FESTIVAL,” name that was soon dropped, but the nature of the project had already exposed. Coelho was denied the subsidy. Coelho didn't make his material fortune with the help of this law, his works brings him money from all around the world, and he's been living away from Brazil for quite a while, meaning he could look at and critize his home country without any pressure, so much so that he wrote that tweet. What could possibly have made him give up his freedom to speak honestly and engage in the it-doesn't-matter-what never-Bolsonaro campaigning? Some people believe him not receiving money from the Rouanet Law for this festival is not the only reason.
• Minister of Health #MarceloQueiroga made a statement that displeased rightwingers. “#FAKENEWS HAVE BEEN USED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY TO MANIPULATE, TO MISINFORM, AND TO HARM. REGARDING THE #VACCINE, IT'S EVEN MORE SERIOUS, BECAUSE FAKE NEWS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE PEOPLE'S DISBELIEF IN IT AND THUS MAKING THEM NOT WANTING TO GET THE SHOT AND NOT LETTING THEIR CHILDREN GET IT.” This is not the first time Queiroga implies he wishes that 100% of the population be vaccinated, but this latest statement is more troubling because, although it's the left that usually spreads fake news about the vaccine, he seems to be criticizing the right.
• #SaoPaulo governor, João #Doria, announced that he got #COVID for the second time, the first time was before he got the two doses of the Chinese #CoronaVac. He's working from home and claims he's not bad because of the vaccine. His doctor is #DrUip, who tried to hide from the public he (the doctor) took #hydroxychloroquine in 2020, but he eventually admitted to taking it. Dória has always been against it. Everything involving Dória's claims sounds suspicious to a lot of people. Many doubt he's never taken that medicine, many doubt he's ever got the CoronaVac shots. Many doubt he's ever telling the truth or all of it when it comes to this subject. #pandemic
• After the #ElectoralSupremeCourt (#STE) started trying to contact people in charge of #Telegram to demand them to disclose users' information and messages and also to demand that they limit the number of contacts a group can have and the number of people a message can by share with, the #COVIDProbe (#CPIdaCOVID) is also trying to reach out to them. The real reason behind these attempts is to limit its operation in #Brazil, given it was the large sharing of information on WhatsApp that greatly helped Bolsonaro get elected. Telegram allows a group to have 200 thousand members, WhatsApp only 256 members. WhatsApp's unsafe environment for rightwingers makes them vulnerable to being quickly censored and informed on because of a Supreme Court order.
• The #SupremeElectoralCourt (#TSE) will judge a request for the nullification of the election of President #Bolsonaro due to irregularities during his campaign. The argument is that the Bolsonaro campaign team was financing mass sharing of messages on #WhatsApp. An investigation on this has been ongoing since his election, but nothing has been proven, but on the contrary, the opposition was doing this. The name of the investigation is #InqueritodasFakeNews (#FakeNewsProbe). The #SupremeCourt (#STF) is responsible for the investigation and nobody (including lawyers/attorneys) has had access to the content of the process in order to provide the accused parties with a proper defense. Regardless, TSE's still seeking to give #Congress grounds for an #impeachment process based on this messy investigation by the STF.
• President #Bolsonaro went to hospital on the 14th after he didn't feel well in the morning. He was first taken to a military hospital. Bolsonaro was presenting a persistent hiccup in his videos. His doctor said this was due to complications from the surgeries he went through because of his stabbing, resulting in some obstruction in his intestine due to kinking. He needed further exams and maybe undergo another surgery. Because of this he had to go to #SaoPaulo where he was taken to the ICU, and he was breathing and being fed through tubes as a precautionary measure to avoid liquid from accumulating in his stomach and go up and get into his lungs. His intesting got unobstructed without the need for surgery and the tubes were removed on Friday. Ex-congressman and now president of the #PTBParty (and notoriously loved and hated by the right), #RobertoJefferson, tweeted, “LEAD. HIGH DOSES OF LEAD IN PRESIDENT #BOLSONARO'S BLOOD. HOW DID IT GET THERE? FOOD. THE SCOUNDRELS TRIED [TO KILL HIM] AGAIN. [...]” Bolsonaro's doctor hasn't confirmed the information and nobody knows yet where Jefferson got this from. It's worth mentioning that Bolsonaro said he was going to show proof this last Thursday during his weekly live that #electionfraud exists, but didn't do it due to this health problem, fueling the belief of food poisoning with the purpose of stopping him from doing so. On Friday Bolsonaro was better and taking walks in the hospital. Yesterday, he was eating without the tube―soft food. Today he was released from hospital.
• President #Bolsonaro's possibility of running in 2022 as a #PatriotaParty member seems to be over. The party was divided and its president was reluctant to let Bolsonaro take control of it, which is one thing he demands. Now there are the #PTBParty, the #PPParty, the PLParty, and the #MulherBrasileiraParty ('#BrazilianWomanParty') left for him to reach a deal.
• The rules for the bid for the #5Gtechnology will be voted in mid August. When questioned about Chinese companies participating in the bidding process due to security concerns, Minister of Communications #FabioFaria said it's telecommunication companies that will bid, not equipment makers, meaning they will be the ones to answer for using equipment that fails to comply with privacy regulations. This means #Huawei and/or other Chinese companies will very likely operate in Brazil in large scale. He said that the 5G network used by essential governmental agencies and institutions will be isolated from other 5G networks. Brazil is part of a group of countries who signed an agreement with the US in order to better protect their gov't'l communication network systems from #China. The 5G technology is expected to be working in some cities by the end of this year and in all 27 states by July next year.
• President #Bolsonaro was supposed to have had a meeting with the presidents of the other powers, #SupremeCourt (#STF), #Congress, and #Senate, to discuss power interference so that no one crosses the constitutional line. The STF has been criticizing the way Bolsonaro addresses them, and he criticizes the STF's explicit political activism. The presidents of Congress and Senate avoid explicitly taking sides, but since Bolsonaro's criticism is about words and the STF's activism is about rulings, their “neutrality” only favors the STF.
• A lawyer called #PauloFaria requested the General Attorney's Office that #SupremeCourt (#STF) Justice #AlexandredeMoraes be arrested for in flagrante offense under the charge of ongoing psychological torture against Congressman #DanielSilveira since February, the only kind of offense a Justice-Minister can be immediatly arrested by a different power. If you are not familiar with his case, Silveira was arrested by Justice De Moraes after he posted a video harshly criticizing the #SupremeCourt. When Silveira was arrested, his bail was set to 100,000 reals. He didn't have the money, but supporters and friends quickly raised his bail. When De Moraes learned the money had been raised, he ordered the bank account where the money was to be closed and his bail could no longer be paid. Silveira has never been judged, which means the closed account, the impossibility of his bail being paid, and his continued arrest are being considered a (psychological) torture provoked by Justice De Moraes. For as long as Silveira is not judged, the bail is supposed to be acceptable, but De Moraes changed the accusation to non-bailable based on the argument that his video being online (it doesn't matter where) is proof of an ongoing in flagrante and thus he can't be freed. De Moraes ordered that the president of the Association of Brazilian Lawyers/Attorneys opened a disciplinary process against Faria. Another crime De Moraes allegedly committed was putting Silveira in prison right from the start, which could not have happened until #Congress had voted for punishing him. Another alleged crime was the fact that De Moraes could not have him arrested without a warranty from the Public Prosecutors' Office.
• Demonstrators gathered in #Brasilia last Friday in support for lifting the ban on possessing and carrying guns. The event was called 'Second #ProGunsforFreedomAct' ('Segundo #AtoProArmaspelaLiberdade'). Among other politicians, Congressman #EduardoBolsonaro was present. The attendance was good.
• “THE FRAUD IS AT THE #TSE (#ElectoralSupremeCourt), JUST SO IT'S CLEAR. THIS HAPPENED IN 2014. WE [CONGRESSPEOPLE] WERE ALLOWED TO SEE THE STATISTICS MINUTE BY MINUTE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU [THE PEOPLE] DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS [TO THAT]. DURING THE SECOND ROUND, #AECIONEVES WAS UP THERE AND #DILMAROUSSEFF [WAS] WAY BEHIND. AS TIME PASSED, THEY STARTED TO GET CLOSER UNTIL THEY HIT EACH OTHER. [AT THIS MOMENT, WHEN THEY HIT EACH OTHER] WE HAD 271 MINUTE-BY-MINUTE OF UPDATES SAYING 'DILMA AHEAD,' 'AÉCIO AHEAD,' 'DILMA AHEAD,' 'AECIO AHEAD.' IT WAS LIKE FLIPPING A COIN AND GETTING HEADS THIS TIME AND TAILS THE NEXT ONE EVERY SINGLE TIME FOR 271 FLIPPINGS. [...] THE POLLING COMPANIES, ALSO FRAUDULENT, [IS] SHOWING THE NINE FINGERS [#LULA] AHEAD [IN A SIMULATION]. WHAT FOR? SO THAT HE CAN BE CONFIRMED BY A FRAUD BY THE TSE. [...] IF WE WANT ONE MORE WAY TO GIVE TRANSPARENCY [BY ADOPTING THE PAPER TRAIL], WHY IS JUSTICE #LUISBARROSO AGAINST IT? A #SUPREMECOURT JUSTICE; THIS IS A SHAME! THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE DEFENDS THE #ABORTION, THE FACT THAT HE WANTS TO LOWER THE AGE OF SEX CONSENT TO 12 YEARS OLD. A MAN WHO WANTS TO DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS, WHO DEFENDED THE ITALIAN MURDERER #CESAREBATTISTI. THIS IS THE MAN WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE ELECTIONS. A GUY LIKE HIM SHOULD BE AT HOME OR SOMEWHERE ELSE. IF [FULLY] ELECTRONIC ELECTIONS ARE SAFE, WHY DON'T #JAPAN OR #SOUTHKOREA DO THE SAME? WHY DOESN'T THE WORLD DO THE SAME? IS IT BECAUSE WE ARE THE BEST IN TECHNOLOGY? IT'S OBVIOUS THEY WANT TO PUT BACK IN POWER THE SAME CRIME GANG OF ALWAYS.” President #Bolsonaro speaking to supporters on his daily stop between home and the #PlanaltoPalace last Monday.

• During his weekly live, President #Bolsonaro showed a piece of news where it says that #SupremeCourt [#STF] Justice #RosaWeber asked for the disclosure of the phone communication of a medication company's lawyer due to a committee investigation on the #Covaxin vaccine purchase. If you want to know more about this case, it's today's first story. Bolsonaro criticized the fact the order for a disclosure happened in a matter of days into the investigation, while the disclosure of the phone communication of the lawyer of #AdelioBispo, the guy who stabbed the president in 2018 during his campaign, has still not been asked for. Adélio was poor, but immediately after the stabbing, an expensive law firm sent a team of lawyers for his defense on a private jet, with one of them giving an infamous interview, where he speaks in a jokingly manner and even sends a kiss. #stabbing
• A judge in #RiodeJaneiro, #RicardoCyfer, accepted a request from an #LGBT group called #ArcoIrisdaCidadaniaLGBT and ordered that the #CBF ('Brazilian Soccer Confederation) explained within two days or face an 800-real daily fine the reason why there's no shirt with the number 24. This number in Brazil is associated with homosexualism. There is this illegal-since-1947 game called #JogodoBicho (#AnimalGame) where a 'veado' (deer) is number 24, and a deer is associated with homosexualism. The office room number 24 of the #Senate was never occupied for years, and they decided to skip this number, just so you have an idea how this culture is old and spread across the country. There was some backlash and the number came back. #RodrigoPacheco, current president of the Senate, accepted to occupy the room 24. The CBF doesn't use this number because the jokes, the mockery, and the laughs can take a toll on a player's psychological state and thus their performance, it doesn't matter how much they avoid taking it personally and how much they believe most fans are just joking. The teasing is simply too great not to drive one's focus away. Some people suggested that if the CBF seems itself forced to add 24 against their will, they could adopt a conservative approach to numering their shirts, a simple sequence starting from 1. Since there are two teams and 11 players each, they'd never need a 24.
• President #Bolsonaro's statement on the committee on the mismanagement of funds during the #pandemic #CPIdaCOVID (#COVIDProbe), “THEY CAN'T HIT US. IT WON'T BE THROUGH LIES OR THROUGH A COMMITTEE COMPOSED BY SEVEN THIEVES THAT WILL REMOVE US FROM HERE. WE HAVE A MISSION AHEAD OF US, [WHICH IS] TO CONDUCT THE NATION'S DESTINY AND ZEAL FOR THE WELLBEING AND PROGRESS OF OUR PEOPLE. WE STILL LIVE HARD TIMES, AND I HAVE TOLD EVERYONE THAT A NATION'S GREATEST ASSET IS THEIR FREEDOM. [FREEDOM IS] MORE VALUABLE THAN OUR OWN LIFE, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE FORMER, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE LATTER. I ONLY HAVE PEACE AND TRANQUILITY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NOT ONLY DO I HAVE THE PEOPLE [ON MY SIDE], BUT ALSO THE #ARMEDFORCES COMMITTED WITH DEMOCRACY AND WITH OUR FREEDOM. REST ASSURED WE HAVE A MISSION AHEAD OF US AND WE WILL ACCOMPLISH IT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY.”
• The tax revenue in May was the highest in 27 years and 70% higher compared to May of last year. Since the beginning of 2021, the increase is 21.42% compared to the same period of 2020. When it comes to #jobs, 280 thousand were created in May, and more than 1 million since January. #employment #bolsonaro
• Congressman #DanielSilveira, arrested by order of #SupremeCourt [#STF] Justice #AlexandredeMoraes (with the authorization of the #Congress) for recording a video harshly criticizing the justices, paid a 100-thousand-real bail. His party suspended him for two months. He could appeal the suspension, but decided not to. #censorship
• One #SupremeCourt [#STF] justice is going to retire this month, allowing President #Bolsonaro to appoint a new one, but senators from the opposition (and even some allies) are planning not to confirm his next pick until the end of the 2022 election, so that, in case he loses, a different president wouldn't be stuck with an appointed of his. Their excuse will be that they have other priorities to debate in the #Senate. The name Bolsonaro should be picking is #AndreMendonca, who was Minister of Justice from May 2020 to March 2021 and State General Attorney from January 2019 to April 2020, and again since April of 2021. Mendonça has so far proved to be a solid ally and to be able to shield himself from being pushed around and abused by the fake news media and the opposition, and this, along with the fact that he is a Christian and is widely endorsed by most of the Christian community leaders, is terrifying them.
• The presidents of 11 parties (#AVANTE, #CIDADANIA, #DEM, #MDB, #PL, #PP, #PSD, #PSDB, #PSL, #REPUBLICANOS, and #SOLIDARIEDADE) made a commitment during a video meeting to vote against the trail paper for the voting machines. This number of parties accounts for a majority needed to vote against it. The #ElectoralSupremeCourt (#TSE) even announced they already started the process of purchasing the voting machines for 2022 without the paper trail system, even before the vote, showing how confident the TSE is that the bill for the paper trail will be rejected, but this is also a way to increase the pressure on congresspeople to vote against it, since the purchase would have already been made by the time of the vote, meaning approving the paper trail would mean the money paid was wasted. In other words, the paper trail for 2022 is now out of question. #SupremeCourt [#STF] Justice #AlexandredeMoreas confined to four congressmen during a dinner last Monday that he thought they'd better make sure this issue didn't reach the STF in order to avoid further relationship deterioration between the institution and the executive power. The technology used in the current voting machines dates back to the 90's, and the fight against the voting machines without the paper trail dates back to the early 80's, when politician #LeonelBrizola won a lawsuit against an electronic vote in #RiodeJaneiro where he was able to prove there was fraud, with the company behind the voting machines recognizing it. He campaigned against voting machines until his death in 2004. This last Wednesday, De Moraes and another STF justice, #GilmarMendes, had a meeting with the leaders some those parties. Among the topics they discussed there were killing the paper trail bill early on in order to avoid it from getting to the #Senate or even the STF itself, and allowing 1000 voting machines to be audited before the elections instead of the usual 500. Bolsonaro expressed frustration during this weekly livestream on social media. He said he predicts the next election is going to be a mess, he won't allow that to happen, and urged the justices and the parties' presidents to rethink. TBB thinks Bolsonaro fails to act. Supreme Court justices interfering in politics like this seems unconstitutional, and this is just another unconstitutional act. We don't trying to convert them is the best course of action. #elections2022 #votingmachines #electronicvoting
• “BARROSO, IT IS A LIE THAT THERE WILL BE [VOTING ON] PAPER BALLOT. YOU KNOW THAT. A JUSTICE OF THE #SUPREMECOURT [#STF] IS NOT SUPPOSED TO LIE. SO LET'S TELL THE TRUTH, DAMN IT!” President #Bolsonaro commenting on #SupremeCourt's [#STF] Justice #LuisBarroso activism against the paper trail by lying when saying the change is to go back to paper voting only. #elections2022 #votingmachine #electronicvoting #paperballot
• President #Bolsonaro attended another motorcycle rally last weekend, this time in the city of #Chapeco, #SantaCatarina, and the attendance, again, was high. More than 10 thousand motorcycles.
• President #Bolsonaro found himself again in the middle of another nothing-burger scandal in the last week. He's accused of letting gov't officials to accept bribery during the purchase of the Indian vaccine #Covaxin, made by #BharatBiotech. This bribery was denounced by Congressman #LuisMiranda. He gave interviews showing an invoice where the amount for the purchase of the vaccine was much above what has been paid to other makers. It had 300,000 doses for the total amount of 45,000,000 reals, or 150 reals each dose (about 29 dollars). Comparatively, the #SputnikV, #Coronavac, #Pfizer, #Janssen, and #AstraZeneca/#Oxford, cost 13, 11, 10, 10, and 3.16 dollars respectively. Miranda's brother is Chief of Importation of the Logistics Department of the Ministry of Health, and he was allegedly pressed to overlook and to sign the invoice. Miranda was summoned to speak at the committee on mismanagement of funds during the #pandemic, called #CPIdaCOVID (#COVIDProbe). On this day, Miranda showed up wearing body armor and holding a Bible. During his hearing, no other name was mentioned besides his brother's, #RicardoMiranda (which we will refer to by his first name to avoid confusion). After the hearing, Miranda left the building without the body armor and without the Bible. Soon, he had to appear again now accompanied by his brother so that the latter could give the name of the person who pressured him to overlook and authorize the invoice. Not only did Ricardo gave no names, but he also made revelations that implicated his brother. He didn't authorize the invoice, it was corrected three days later, and the purchase of Covaxin was never made. One senator asked Ricardo if he had informed his brother about the correction and he said, “THE [VACCINE] COMPANY AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE [DEPARTMENT OF THE MINISTRY], YES [, I INFORMED THEM], BUT I DIDN'T INFORM MY BROTHER.” Another senator said that, by not letting his brother know that the invoice had been corrected, he led him to make a calumnious accusation. Ricardo responded, “I DON'T ANSWER FOR HIM.” Another senator asked him, “WERE YOU PRESSED TO ACCEPT THE [IRREGULAR] INVOICE?” Ricardo, “NO.” Senator, “DID ANYONE OFFER ANY ADVANTAGE OF ANY SORTS FOR YOU TO IGNORE POLICIES OR LOOSEN REQUIREMENTS NEEDED FOR THE IMPORTATION OF THE COVAXIN VACCINE?” Ricardo, “NO. THE ONLY DEMAND WAS THAT THE DOCUMENTATION SENT BY THE COMPANY HAD TO RECEIVE ALL THE PROTOCOLS BY #ANVISA [the Brazilian health regulatory agency].” Then, another senator, #OmarAziz, asked, “ARE YOU [Miranda] SAYING THE PRESIDENT KNOWS WHO WAS THE PERSON BEHIND THIS [PRESSURE FOR BRIBERY]?” Miranda, “YES.” Aziz, “WHO IS THE PERSON?” Miranda, “I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE CONGRESSPERSON, THE NAME WAS LOOSELY MENTIONED IN A CONVERSATION.” Aziz, “IF WE GAVE YOU SOME NAMES, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO REMEMBER?” Miranda, “I DON'T REMEMBER, SIR.” Senator #RenanCalheiros asked Ricardo, “[DID] #PRECISAMEDICAMENTOS [Covaxin's representant in Brazil] TRY TO PUSH FOR THE PAYMENT [OF THAT AMOUNT FOR THAT QUANTITY] FOR THE COVAXIN?” Ricardo, “NO, NO.” Ricardo still tried to save Miranda's skin by saying that a colleague of his told him someone from the government asked for a bribe, but this friend never told him who this gov't person is and Ricardo didn't say who his colleague is so that the committee could summon him to get the gov't person's name. In a disclosed private conversation between Miranda and Bolsonaro on March 20th, where he tells the president about the invoice, Miranda says, “THE GOVERNMENT SPEAKS WITH MUCH TRANQUILITY—AND WHEN I SAY GOV'T I MEAN ONYX [#LORENZONI, President Bolsonaro's Chief of Staff]—THAT THE DOCUMENT WAS QUICKLY CORRECTED. IT WAS QUICKLY CORRECTED AFTER SEEING THE PRESIDENT.” In other words, Miranda was part of plan to try to get Bolsonaro accused of knowing about the invoice mistake, so that there could be grounds for an impeachment process, but the invoice was corrected 3 days later for the amount of 3,000,000 dollars, which then made the price per dose correct and the same as in 13 other countries, but still above all the other makers' vaccines; 15 dollars; and the purchase was never made. The plan to frame Bolsonaro was so bad that they didn't practice what his brother had to say during his hearing, and it did the opposite effect, botching the plan and making a fool out of Miranda. Precisa Medicamentos released a statement saying the negotiation process (which, again, was not approved) was entirely legal. The fake scandal was exposed, but Miranda still said there's something much bigger than [the scandal] that he can reveal, but many believe he's trying to drive the focus away from the mess he put himself into. 27 senators, though, still signed a resquest for the investigation on this nothing-burger scandal to extend for 90 more days, and they also want the #SupremeCourt (#STF) to get involved. All this noise about a documentation illegality that never happened for a purchase that never happened either. In February, Senator Aziz proposed a bill that would allow for states to be able to buy vaccines without a bid and ANVISA's approval of efficacy, and Miranda, during a radio interview not long ago, June 7th, said the #COVID Probe was all a farce, it was highly politicized, all about a political plan to take Bolsonaro down before 2022. Later this last week, while the two leaders of the committee had another person being heard, Miranda showed up out of nowhere and spoke to the ear of each of them both in front of everybody, which made some senators laugh in astonishment. Miranda was not even dressed properly and the security still let him be in the area and having access to the presidents, and the presidents didn't react badly, didn't reprimand Miranda, but rather listened patiently to what he was saying. He and Calheiros even shook hands.

• The city of #Paqueta, #RiodeJaneiro, is the first Brazilian city to vaccinate every single one of its citizens above 18 years of age. The current secretary (minister) of health, #MarceloQueiroga, said the vaccination is the hope against the Chinese virus. It's not clear what he means by “the hope,” if he means it is the hope for the ones who need or ask for it, or if he means for everybody regardless. If it's the former, he's being wise in the sense his words don't provide fuel for the leftist media to want to pressure and eventually destroy him. Which one could that be? #covid #pandemic
• Former Secretary (Minister) of Foreign Affairs #ErnestoAraujo is being investigated by the commission probe into financial mismanagement during the #pandemic. The commission asked for the disclosure of his phone communications. Besides the probe being related to the pandemic, #SupremeCourt (#STF) Justice #AlexandredeMorais denied a resquest to limit the disclosure to the time of the pandemic, meaning everything should be disclosed, ever since he was appointed minister in the very beginnig of the #Bolsonaro administration. Nearly everything that's disclosed from a gov't official ends up published by the leftist media, it's the incredible “anonymous” sources' capacity to get access to anything ruled by the STF, and the access (or leak) is likely to happen here, which can greatly damage Brazil's diplomatic image. #covid #diplomacy
• #SupremeCourt (#STF) Justice #RosaWeber ruled that the commission probe into mismanagement of financial help during the #pandemic cannot summon governors for a hearing. The other ministers will analyze her rule this Thursday, but there's not much hope for a reversal. #covid
• The biggest (and infamous) TV network #Globo and doctor #DrauzioVarella (whose statement “[#COVID] IS JUST A LITTLE FLU” and later attributed to President #Bolsonaro for quoting it, with the opposition using it to try to incriminate him) will have to pay 150,000 reals in reparations to the father of a child that was killed by a transexual. In one of his shows on Globo on March last year, Dr Varella interviewed a transexual called Suzy from inside a prison. The purpose of the interview was to humanize and bring awareness to this population. Suzy said he hadn't receive a visit in 8 years, not even from family members, he cried, and they hugged each other. This led to a nationwide commotion and many people volunteered to help Suzy fiancianlly and in other ways. Even children wrote him letters of support. Problem is, Suzy was the one who killed that father's boy and nowhere in the show Dr Varella let people know what took him to jail. The truth spread fast and the outrage was set. The father was enraged by how the killer of his son was being portrayed on TV, as a sensible, mistreated, and misunderstood person. The dad had to go through the pain of reviving his son's death, but now with the addition to having to swallow his son's murderer being treated so well on national TV. Dr Varella tried to defend himself by saying he didn't know about Suzy's crime, it was up to the show's staff to check that, and him not knowing about it was on purpose in order to avoid any bias or making him not get honestly involved with the criminal. Even if he was honest, the lack of awareness from his staff about the possibility of the public getting that information and their subsequent reaction was too great. By the way, Suzy also raped the boy before killing him. #transexuality #transexualism #lgbt
• President #Bolsonaro lost his cool during a visit to the city of #Guaratingueta, #SaoPaulo, to attend an #airforce graduation ceremony. Before arriving at the air force base, he stopped on the way, on the street, to talk to some supporters and take pictures with them. At this time, he was not wearing a mask. At the air force base, though, he was wearing it at all times he was filmed, indoors and outdoors. After that, he visited a public clinic that received federal fund to be transformed into a temporary space for treating #COVID patients. He was wearing his mask at all times there as well. At a certain moment during him taking questions from journalists about his visit and things related to it, though, a #CNN reporter interrupted him prompting him to say, “CAN I FINISH? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO INTERRUPT [THE INTERVIEW]? CNN, HUH? YOU PRAISED THE LEFTIST RALLY, THEY THREW FIREWORKS AT YOU AND YOU CALLED IT A PEACEFUL PROTEST.” He then proceeded to talk about freedom of choice for patients and doctors. Then, a #Globo reporter asked him, “YOU WERE ALREADY FINED IN THE STATE OF #SAOPAULO FOR NOT WEARING A MASK?” He goes, “WILL YOU WANT TO MAKE A DECENT QUESTION? ARE YOU FROM GLOBO? I WANT NO TALK WITH GLOBO.” He proceeded to be asked questions from another reporter about the investiment in Guaratinguetá and all was going well when the Globo reporter asked another question. “YOU GOT HERE WITHOUT A MASK” [before the commitments and while he was on the street to talk and take pictures with supporters, yes, but then never more.] This was enough to derail the interview. His expression of frustration was clear. He went, “I ARRIVE HOWEVER I WISH, I TAKE CARE OF MY LIFE. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WEAR A MASK, DON'T WEAR IT. EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT THE VIRUS, UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU, WAS RIGHT. THE PREVENTIVE TREATMENT SAVED MY LIFE AND 200 MORE LIVES IN MY BUILDING. MANY JOURNALISTS CONFIDED TO ME THEY TOOK #HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, #IVERMECTIN. WHY DON'T YOU ADMIT THAT? DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO FOLLOW BONNER'S [a Globo editor and anchor] OR #MIRIAMLEITAO'S [a Globo's economy expert] OPINIONS? YOU WANT SOMETHING TO COVER? I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU ONE.” [He takes his mask off.] “I'M IN GUARATINGUETÁ WITHOUT A MASK. ARE YOU HAPPY NOW? THIS GLOBO IS A PIECE OF SH*T OF PRESS! YOU ALL ARE A TRASH OF A PRESS! YOU ARE EVIL JOURNALISM, AND YOU HELP NOTHING! YOU DESTROY THE BRAZILIAN FAMILY, DESTROY THE BRAZILIAN RELIGION [CULTURE], YOU ARE WORTHLESS! GLOBO IS WORTHLESS! GLOBO IS A TERRIBLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION! IF YOU DON'T WATCH GLOBO YOU DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION, IF YOU WATCH GLOBO YOU HAVE #DISINFORMATION.” At this point, Congresswoman #CarlaZambelli, who was following him among others and is seen in the video at his left, started to take her mask off in a display of support. He goes on, “YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF FOR ACCEPTING TO DO GLOBO'S DISGRACEFUL JOB.”
• The Department (Ministry) of Health plans to ban the use of the Chinese #COVID vaccine #CoronaVac due to low efficacy. This was the vaccine the biggest advocate for lockdowns and social distancing and mass vaccination (and governor of #SaoPaulo) João #Doria was promoting. Its efficacy is so bad that even celebrities that are his supporters and open critics of President #Bolsonaro were reported trying to find for a hospital that was offering a brand other than the CoronaVac. #pandemic
• #NiceYamaguchi, a doctor who gave her testimony during a hearing in the probe commission on mismanagement during the #pandemic, is suing Senators #OmarAziz and #OttoAlencar for moral damages for how they treated her during her hearing on June 1st. It was really bad. Even some leftists, who are against her for her defending the use of hydroxychloroquine, cheered when she lost her job at #AlbertEinstein Hospital, and wish her to be investigated and punished, recognized the treatment was that bad. Yamaguchi is asking for 320 thousand reals in reparation and said she'll donate everything to cancer treatment hospitals if she wins. #covid
• #Folha is one of the biggest (leftist) news outlets in Brazil, and they reported that, according to leftist organization movements, a total of 750 thousand people distributed in 427 rallies, 366 cities (including 27 capitals), and 42 cities abroad in 17 countries are their numbers for last weekend's anti-President #Bolsonaro's rallies. They also reported that the rallies were peaceful. Anyone who's been following the right and the left rallies closely, either attending them or checking many sources for videos and photos, knows that this is tremendous fake news. It's not like manipulating small differences, but just gross misinformation. One of the headlines of an article of same news outlet reads, “FIRE SPOTS DON'T SPREAD, AND A PEACEFUL PROTEST CARRIES ON.” A Twitter user called #DiegoGarcia (user dimacgarcia) posted a thread on June 20th with 50 posts exposing all sorts of violence carried out by protesters in many different locations. One specific picture that was shared by leftist Congressman #PauloPimentel shows people packing an avenue in the city of #BeloHorizonte, but the picture is from 2016. To make things more outrageous, the leftist miniscule protests were given plenty of space in several other news outlets and on TV, with them saying the protestors were only concerned about sanitary issues and democracy issues. In reality, many fights, depredation, and littering were reported, and the attendee number was small. The rallies had many groups and big banners, which raised the suspicion that, as usual in the left, a great deal of them were financed and organized by political groups, organizations, and parties. In #RiodeJaneiro, besides the number of attendees not surpassing 3 thousand, based on an aerial picture, they are holding a massive banner, nearly a block long. This is unusual when a rally is truly an organic one, truly popular, because it's less coordinated, unless it's something big in the middle of an equally big rally. The disinformation media network is international, and several international news outlets spread the lies. And, there were the “stay home” and “wear a mask” and “don't agglomerate” that, during their protests, were mere recommendations, differently from a life-and-genocide matter when talking about the rallies attended by rightwingers. #pandemic
• After 900 days of presidency, the #Bolsonaro administration, seeking to diminish bureaucracy, mirroring #Trump, has already revoked more than 4,500 decrees.
• Due to the fact that President #Bolsonaro is very likely to drop current Vice-president #Mourao in the next run, this one is already in the talks to join a party and run for the #Senate for #RioGrandedoSul or for governor of #RiodeJaneiro. Bolsonaro and Mourão's relationship started to worn out early in the presidency due to Mourão's disastrous interviews, almost always expressing disagreeing views on Bolsonaro's key campaign promises, like bring guns back into the hands of law-abiding citizens, and on several other matters. Bolsonaro called him out several times. Mourão diminished the number of his interviews, but the few he does, the disagreement is still there. In spite of being a friend from decades, Mourão was called to be his vice at the last minute because the person Bolsonaro had in mind and everybody believed was going to accept, #JanainaPaschoal (a key figure in #DilmaRousseff's impeachment), refused to. After the elections, Paschoal turned against Bolsonaro, now making many people believe the change was good, but then, further on, she diminished her criticism and even praised the government.
• Once again, a #military makes one of those statements that make some Brazilians yawn. Minister-General #LuisCarlosMattos said during an interview for left-leaning news outlet #Veja that “THE OPPOSITION IS STRETCHING THE ROPE TOO MUCH.” He's referring to a possible military intervention. We say that some Brazilians yawn because this is not the first time a military officer releases a statement implying that some high power institution, the #Congress or the #Senate or the #SupremeCourt, is using their political and authority power to work against the wish of the people and to destabilize the government, and that this could result in a military action. We from TBB think that these statements are somehow disrespectful, especially after so much unconstitutionalities have taken place and nothing has happened. The military shouldn't be saying things gratuitiously or making repeated threats (like politicians do).
• Leftist Senator #RandolfeRodrigues, vice-chair of the pandemic probe wants summon representants of #Facebook and #YouTube to go to the hearing to explain why President #Bolsonaro was still not banned from their platforms, arguing that “#TRUMP WAS BANNED FOR MUCH LESS.” #pandemic #covid #socialmedia #censorship #bigtech
• The State General Attorney's Office requested the release of activist #SaraWinter and journalist #OswaldoEustaquio (among others), both of which had what many consider an unconstitutional arrest, since all the process related to their arrest, the accusation, the investigation, the arrest, the judgement, were all conducted by one single man, #SupremeCourt Justice #AlexandredeMoraes. The office also requested that the investigation on Congressman #DanielSilveira, also unconstitutionally arrested by De Moraes, be archived.
• By 42-37, the #Senate approved a bill for the privatization of #Eletrobras, but the bill is undergoing further changes in the Senate, so it should head back to the Lower House for the approval of the bill with the changes. Eletrobras is a state-run electric utilities company. Government allies fear these changes will diminish the effectiveness of the privatization bill, just as has happened to the #AdministrativeReform bill, where numerous changes and demands for sparing specific groups of public servants is rendering the scope of the reform narrower since most of the problem lies just on those who have the lobby power of thousands of unions across the country: public servants themselves.
• Former Governor of #RiodeJaneiro #WilsonWitzel was summoned to speak at the commission to probe politicians' actions during the #pandemic but he got an order from #SupremeCourt Justice #KassioNunes, appointed by President #Bolsonaro, to skip the hearing or, if he attended it, that he would be able to leave it at any time and he would also be exempt from making an oath. He decided to go, but before Senator #EduardoGirao finished asking him about the purchase of ventilators, the speaker interrupted him to say that Witzel was leaving the hearing. Later it was known that he decided to leave the hearing not because of that question, but because his staff told him during the hearing that he had been charged by a judge on this purchase. #covid
• #ANEEL (Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency) delayed the end of the protection against local energy companies cutting the power of residents due to late payment of energy bill by families whose members make half the minimum wage or less. 12 million Brazilians are eligible. #pandemic #covid
• “[THE POSITION OF THE COUNCIL] IS OFFICIAL. WE DEFEND THE VACCINATION NOT TO BE MANDATORY. PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHAT IS THE BEST CHOICE ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THE BEST FOR THEIR HEALTH, SO THE COUNCIL'S DECISION DOESN'T CHANGE AFTER THE #SENATE [VOTED IN FAVOR OF A #VACCINATIONPASSPORT],” said President of the Federal Medicine Council #MauroRibeiro. About the use of mask, though, he's in favor that it continues to be mandatory. #covid #pandemic
• The #Senate commission to probe the handling of the #pandemic heard the former Secretary of Health of the State of #Amazon #MarcellusCampelo. He left his position on June 7th after he was arrested by the federal police on the 2nd and his house was searched. The police was carrying out arrest and search warranties over the collapse of the health care system, with the state running out of rooms and ventilators, even with the state receiving financial help from the government. This is the first time someone related to a state is heard by the commission since it started about one and half months ago. The Governor of Amazon #WilsonLima was supposed to have spoken before him, but he was able to get an order from the #SupremeCourt (#STF) to avoid it. Campêlo's answers were evasive and he tried to blame the government. It's hard to believe, but the whole state of Amazon had one room prepared to receive #COVID patients when the pandemic started. Yes, only one. According to Campêlo, Lima was informed in July 2020 that there was going to be a shortage of oxygen, but Lima only signed a contract to buy more ventilators in November. In December 2019, Amazon had 319 million reals available for investment, in August of 2020 it reached 459 million, in December it was 478 million, and in March this year, 553. The probe is trying to find out why the state had a positive balance throughout all 2020 (and still has) and still spired into having the worse health crisis among all Brazilian states. #CarlosGabas, middleman for a deal made between a consortium composed of several Northeastern states and a company specialized in products made out of cannabis to sell #ventilators and never did, is someone the gov't allies want very much to speak at the hearing, but so far the commission is resisting to summon him. A contract Gabas intermediated with the state of #Alagoas and related to the pandemic also caused a multi-million real issue. Alagoas is governed by #RenanFilho, Senator #RenanCalheiros' son. Calheiros is the speaker of the commission, and even though one of Gabas' suspicious dealings involving money directed to fight the pandemic smells right in front of his son's office door, he has not summoned. The pressure from the people for Gabas to be heard has been good. Senate technicians reported overwhelming number of emails and calls in a short period of time asking for his hearing. It was more than 6,000 emails. So far, to no avail. #covid

• In #SaoPaulo there is this area were many crack addicts get together to use this and other drugs. It's a skid row, it's called #Cracolandia ('Crackoland'). Despite all the governor's and mayor's virtual signaling, nothing's been done there to prevent agglomeration. You see no police officers dispersing or arresting people there; no social workers, no volunteer doctors and nurses,... #covid #doria
• The #SupremeCourt (#STF) already got the majority of the judge-ministers to agree on renewing the power of the states to decide over their health measures regardless of the gov't recommendations. Only one judge-minister hasn't declared his side yet, #KassioNunes, appointed by #Bolsonaro. The president was hopeful that the STF would not renew the states' autonomy. #pandemic
• A city called #Guaraciaba, #SantaCatarina, is considering mandating #COVID infected (or suspected) people to wear a wrist band so they can be easily identified and kept from crowding places. If this idea goes ahead, citizens will also be encouraged to inform on people who go out without their wrist band.
• The State of #RioGrandedoSul entered phase black until the 21st, and during this time only essential products can be sold on supermarkets. Some widely circulated photos show a supermarket with carts and barricade tapes blocking certain aisles. #covid
• #RiodeJaneiro's mayor #EduardoPaes is going for a new #lockdown, and now his order says that bars and restaurants must be closed after 5pm. The association of this kind of business predicts 1 thousand people will be losing their jobs for every week they are closed.
• “ESSENTIAL SERVICE IS ANY ONE THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE BREADWINNER OF THE FAMILY TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE!” President #Bolsonaro on #Twitter.
• The Dept (Ministry) of Education sent a letter to universities saying that political manifestations by professors will result in notifications and can lead to punishments. In response, 25 regional attorneys offices sent a letter to the Citizen Rights' Attorneys Office asking it to reinforce and clarify the need to respect #freedomofexpression, even inside educational institutions and when expressed by faculty members.
• The #COVID relief bill was approved by the #Senate, and if the spending doesn't surpass 44 billion reals, it won't be subjected to strict fiscal rules. On the other hand, the gov't was able to add new fiscal regulations for future general spending in this bill. Apparently, the strategy was, “here's 44 billion for you to make your party, as long as this is the last one.” Will it work?
• Last year, #Bolsonaro's first reaction to the news of cities and states and companies forcing the vaccination was, “MANDATORY VACCINATION, ONLY OVER MY DEAD BODY!” Now, the gov't is buying a lot of vaccine doses, and it won't take longer until there are enough vaccines for the whole population. Will Bolsonaro still do anything to prevent people from being forced to take the vaccine? #covid
• The Attorneys Office of the State of #Goias issued a letter saying that they are for the use of #hydroxychloroquine and #ivermectin for #COVID prevention. Attorneys Offices have been criticized for not expressing or taking too long to express their position regarding this and governors' and mayors' #abuseofpower by sending the police to arrest law-abiding citizens and to shut down businesses.
• #SaoPaulo governor #Doria ordered 14 more days of lockdown. His #COVID Contingency Center secretary said that it should be “at least” that number. São Paulo's secretary of health, on the other hand, is not in agreement with Dória's decision and said, “WITH THE LOCKDOWN, PEOPLE WILL DIE OF HUNGER.” In #Bahia, the governor extended the lockdown (and curfew) till April 1st. Regarding to new and to the extending of lockdowns and curfews, #Bolsonaro said, “IF I HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE, I HAVE MY OWN PLAN AND IT'S READY TO BE PUT IN PLACE, BUT I NEED TO HAVE THIS AUTHORITY. [...] IF THE #SUPREMECOURT (#STF) UNDERSTANDS THAT THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS CAN FALL INTO THE GOV'T'S HANDS, [...] I AM READY TO PUT MY PLAN IN PLACE.” Curiously (and tragically), São Paulo is not increasing the quantity of buses, and train and subway cars in order to allow for proper social distancing.
• #Brazil's GDP fell 4.1% during the #pandemic, being the most negative since 1996. The result, though, was better than what the #IPEA predicted (5%), #XPInvestments predicted (6%), the #OECD predicted (6%), and the #IMF predicted (9.1%). Compared to some other countries, Brazil did worse than the #UnitedStates (3.5%), for instance, but less worse than #Japan (4.8%), #Germany (5%), #France (8.2%), the #UnitedKingdom (9.9%), and #Spain (11%). Considering that Brazil has quite a precarious health system, that the #SupremeCourt (#STF) granted the states power to put health measures in place regardless of the gov't'l recommendations—thus leading many states and cities to go for lockdowns—and that many mayors and governors have been antagonizing the president by just doing to opposite in order to wear off #Bolsonaro's image, it did not do that bad. A poll by the media company #JovemPan asking who was the main responsible for this GDP fall—and got 35 thousand votes—shows that 96.8% believe it was mayors' and governors'. #covid #coronavirus
• Leftist comedian #DaniloGentili wrote in a tweet, “I WOULD ONLY BELIEVE THIS COUNTRY CAN BE SAVED IF THE POPULATION GOT INTO THE CONGRESS RIGHT NOW AND PUNCHED EVERY CONGRESSPERSON THAT'S DISCUSSING [IN FAVOR OF] THE [SPEECH] IMMUNITY BILL.” Some congresspeople, seeing the chance to put the #SupremeCourt (#STF) on the wall due to its decision to arrest Congressperson #DanielSilveira for a #thoughtcrime, are demanding the STF orders Gentili's arrest. Judge-minister #AlexandredeMoraes, who alone decided for Silveira's arrest, asked the Attorney-General #AugustoAras (appointed by #Bolsonaro) for his word on this matter. Moraes might be trying to dilute his responsibility and raise animosity in Congress, since Aras' support for Gentili's arrest will please some groups in Congress and angry others, and if he goes against it, it will please and anger opposite sides.
• A police commissioner who cooperated with the #LavaJato operation was processed and eventually punished when he denounced that some of the Lava Jato investigative tactics were illegal. This commissioner, #MarioFanton, accused the operation of illegally wiretapping and of covering another Lava Jato commissioner, ErikaMarena, who forged a testimony. Marena is one of the responsibles for ordering the illegal wiretappings. And, #DeltanDallagnol, impressed and excited with the popularity #LavaJato commissioners and prosecutors were having, started discussing opening a company to make money giving lectures. In one of the leaked messages he wrote, “LET'S ORGANIZE CONFERENCES AND EVENTS, OK? THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR NETWORKING AND VISIBILITY.” [...] “BEFORE TAKING STEPS TO OPEN THIS COMPANY, WE SHOULD HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN AND A CLEAR VIEW OF EACH ONE'S EXPECTATIONS. FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN, WE SHOULD LOOK UP FOR THE LATEST EVENTS AND PRICES.” In another part, he explains that they'd better set up their company as an NGO institution and have a professional company organize the events and charge for the lectures, so they could receive the money in a different way, thus avoiding legal questionings and the negative repercussion with the public.

LAVA JATO OPERATION PROSECUTORS—IN HOT WATERS

A couple of years before #Bolsonaro became president, he was caught fishing in a place he wasn't supposed to. Messages exchanged by #LavaJato prosecutors and that have been leaked recently, shows that one prosecutor, #MoniqueCheker, after realizing Bolsonaro couldn't be prosecuted for environmental damages due to the fact that he only caught a couple of fish, texted that she knew a professor from the State University of #RiodeJaneiro that could write a report blaming Bolsonaro for some different kind of environmental issue. Another prosecutor said that Bolsonaro would not be convicted of any crime by a lower court, and then Monique wrote that if the process go to the #SupremeCourt (#STF), he would be convicted. Other parts show prosecutors calling Bolsonaro names and saying he had fascist and sexist ideals. At another text, she says, “OUR SELF-SACRIFICE IN THE NAME OF THE 'PLURALITY OF IDEAS' HAVE ALREADY COST US [TO LOSE] SOME [DEPARTMENTS]. THE DPU [federal prosecutors office], THE #PF [federal police]; I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH. I DON'T WANT THAT.” At another part, on a different topic, while discussing the need of #SergioMoro to distance himself from Bolsonaro in 2019, #DeltanDallagnol said, “THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM BOZO—IN ORDER TO GET CLOSER TO JOURNALISTS—BUT WITHOUT LOSING SUPPORT OF BOZO'S SUPPORTERS ['Bozo' was the left's favorite way to refer to Bolsonaro]. In another part, #Moro, already serving as the Minister of Justice—so he was no longer part of Lava Jato—texts Dallagnol, who was still a prosecutor in Lava Jato, “I'M GOING TO BE IN #DAVOS DURING THE WEEK. COULD YOU TELL ME SUCCINTLY WHICH COUNTRIES WE ARE STILL FACING COOPERATION DIFFICULTIES WITH? DID #HONGKONG PROVIDE YOU WITH THOSE EVIDENCES? PLEASE, FIND THAT OUT AND LET ME KNOW.” According to journalist #OswaldoEustaquio, PTB's party president, #RobertoJefferson, and the recently arrested Congressman #DanielSilveira received copies of the Lava Jato conversations leaks. #Silveira was arrested a couple of days before the date he had planned to exposed them. Jefferson received the leaks back in December, but even with his constant and widely view interviews, he never exposed them, and many people are wondering why he didn't. Many are also wondering why Eustáquio didn't expose them earlier either.

• The City of #Araraquara, in the State of #SaoPaulo, is the first #Brazil(ian) city to put a full #lockdown measure in place. It started this Sunday and was to finish yesterday, but it was extended. The mayor is from the far left and even supermarkets and grocery stores, considered essential business according to a national #COVID19 lockdown guidelines, are closed, thus breaking a national policy. #coronavirus
• #Bolsonaro signed a decree that will force gas stations to show in receipts how much in #ICMS (tax over products and services) a customer is paying over the fuel. The decree is to start in 30 days and aims to expose to the population how abusive the local ICMS amount is, since it is calculated based on how much the government charges when the fuel leaves #Petrobras' refineries to gas stations (this tax is charged over any and every transaction, even over the same product, until it reaches the consumer end). The gov't is zeroing the ICMS at the federal level, and this means the amount in the receipt will show the customer precisely how much they are being charged locally. Strangely, the president of #PROCON (a public institution that deals with abuses against the consumer) in #SaoPaulo stated that they won't inspect gas stations that don't inform their ICMS in receipts unless SP's General-Attorney's Office recommends them to. No other PROCON, so far, has expressed resistance to do their natural job.
• The ex-secretary (minister) of #Bolsonaro's #DepartmentofJustice (#MinistryofJustice) and lead judge in the #LavaJato operation #SergioMoro, who has 'antagonizingly' been giving his opinion on almost everything related to politics since he left the government last year—accusing Bolsonaro of interference in the federal police, promising to prove it, and never doing it—strangely hasn't said a word about #DanielSilveira's case, and people are starting to take notice. #carwash #moro
• Several #Brazil(ian) states is putting a curfew in place, and in some places, not even deliveries will be allowed. Restarting in-person classes was also delayed in many places. #SaoPaulo is one of the states adopting the radical measures. The public transport in some of these places will be reduced, increasing agglomeration. The reason behind this measure is, for some, to destabilize the government, and for others it goes beyond, to allow #China and globalism-oriented groups to buy companies in financial difficulty.

⚠️ MORE CONTENT MAY BE ADDED ALONG THE DAY ⚠️

• The ex-secretary (minister) of #Bolsonaro's #DepartmentofJustice (#MinistryofJustice) and lead judge in the #LavaJato operation #SergioMoro, who has antagonizingly been giving his opinion on almost everything related to politics since he left the government last year—accusing Bolsonaro of interference in the federal police, promising to prove it and never doing it—strangely hasn't said a word about #DanielSilveira's case, and people are starting to take notice. #carwash #moro
• Several #Brazil(ian) states put a curfew in place, and in some places, not even deliveries will be allowed. Restarting in-person classes was also delayed in many places. #SaoPaulo is one of the states putting the radical measures in place. The public transport in some of these places will be reduced, increasing agglomeration. The reason behind this measure is, for some, to destabilize the government, and for others it goes beyond, to allow #China and globalism-oriented groups to buy companies in financial difficulty.

• After #DanielSilveira's arrest, #ClaudiaPiovezan's book 'Inquérito do Fim do Mundo' ('End of the World's Inquiry'), about the #SupremeCourt's (#STF's) post-#Bolsonaro adm's unconstitutional rulings, became a number 1 best seller on Amazon as of today.
• During an interview of #Judge-Minister #MarcoAurelio to #RadioGaucha [from #RioGrandedoSul]—yes, Brazilian judge-ministers give interviews all the time—one of the hosts asks him, “HOW DOES A #SUPREMECOURT (#STF) [JUDGE-]MINISTER SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM A [JUDGE-]MINISTER AND A CITIZEN, BECAUSE—I'M GOING TO BE CAREFUL WITH MY WORDS—AN STF [JUDGE-]MINISTER, WITH THE LAW IN THEIR HANDS AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS, CAN ATTACK WHO ATTACKS THEM USING THE POWER OF BEING A [JUDGE-]MINISTER—HOW MUCH CAN THIS GET CONFUSING [TO PEOPLE]? HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS?” The carefulness to use the right words kind of made the question not that clear, but it definitely doesn't sound (nor did his tone) disrespectful or anything—we think. Judge Aurélio responded, “THIS DOESN'T EXIST. THE JUDGE'S ROLE IS BASED ON FACTS AND ON THE RIGHTS GRANTED BY THE #CONGRESS.” So far so good, but then..., “WE NEED TO RESPECT JUSTICE A LITTLE MORE, AND I THINK THAT THE WAY YOU PUT IT IS CLEARLY UNSUITABLE, BORDERING DEFAMATION [oops].” The host, “NO, THIS IS JUST A QUESTION. I'M ASKING THIS SO YOU CAN CLARIFY...” [Judge Aurélio interrupts] “WHAT ANSWER DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU? THAT WE CAN HARM THE CITIZENS? LOOK, I THINK WE HAD BETTER END OUR INTERVIEW HERE.” It doesn't end there, but this part shows how the STF judges are clearly trying to intimidate journalists, making it very hard to even ask them relevant questions. #freespeech #freedomofspeech #authoritarianism #alexandredemoraes #moraes #danielsilveira #silveira
• The #Congress is to discuss this next Wednesday some changes to the #Constitution aiming to more clearly restrict the role of the Judiciary. Among them, one that says a video cannot be used as a permanent flagrant (making this clear is important, but this is a consensus in the law world, and having to put this in the Constitution is absurd), and another one that says a judge can't make a monocratic decision to arrest a congressperson (the Constitution is already clear about parliament immunity for free speech, it doesn't matter how bad it sounds, and that an arrest for order of the STF can only be made after the Congress vote, except in case of a real crime). #alexandredemoraes #danielsilveira #freespeech #freedomofspeech
• Senators subpoenaed #SupremeCourt (#STF) Judge-Minister #AlexandredeMoraes to explain to them where the line that separates parliament immunity from a crime, when it comes to speech, is.
• #AlexandredeMoraes opened an investigation to know if Representative #DanielSilveira disrestected a female public servant at the #IML (coroner's office) when he refused to wear a mask. Well, “refused to wear a mask” is how it's being reported. He entered the reception area without a mask and didn't mind to wear one. According to the video, she never addresses him in advance, but asks someone else to approach him and give him a mask. He was a little reluctant to wear it and started making comments, engaging the servant. So far, the exchange between them was calm. About a minute later, he starts to unpack the mask in order to put it on. During this process, the receptionist kept shooting back at every one of his comments, which made him angry. He raised his voice, but ultimately put the mask on. The video is clear in showing that the servant highly contributed to escalating the exchange. You can hear there were some seconds of silence from his part while he was opening the package and fixing the band in order to put it on, when she reengaged by making comments. The video shows an event that in no way would need an investigation by the #SupremeCourt (#STF), but #Moraes is willing to crush #Silveira as much as possible in order to send a message to #Bolsonaro, the #military, allies, and supporters; just as he sent a message to journalists with all the abused committed against journalist #OswaldoEustaquio and that resulted in him having his career destroyed and also him getting paralyzed from waist down.

Summary of illegalities committed by the Judge-Minister #AlexandredeMorais by arresting Representative #DanielSilveira:

• Judge Morais attached #Silveira's arrest to a case called #fakenews lawsuit, where he was the victim, he made the accusations, he made the arrests, and he gave sentences. He did all the process himself, and the same judge doing all the four things is unconstitutional. Many people were expecting that President #Bolsonaro was going to arrest Morais for that, but it never happened, and Journalist #OswaldEustaquio's career was destroyed. He was arrested several times between 2019 and 2020, ultimately suffering a fall in jail in 2021 and getting paralyzed.

• As a congressperson, according to the #Constitution, Silveira has parliament immunity, and could not be arrested for thought crime, or absolutely any words he says or vows he wishes. For these, only #Congress could do something, like voting for a disciplinary punishment.

• Another argument of Judge Morais is that Silveira's words directly (but not clearly about how) “threatening” the judges were an indication that violence could happen, and it justified his arrest. In other words, Silveira was arrested; not questioned, not asked for clarifications; based on a crime or crimes he would, maybe, commit.

• Judge Morais used a prerecorded video to justify a flagrant, because, as long as the video is online, even if in clips, it's proof of a continuous flagrant, since the threat to national security is still there, so Silveira could be arrested and judged for as long as the video exists.

• Judge Morais ordered that all Silveira's social media pages were taken down, not only the video.

Judge Moraes arguments and actions might seem absurd to you, hard to believe coming from a member of the highest level of the judiciary system and with the support of his colleagues, but it's real.

---

UPDATE ON #DANIELSILVEIRA'S CASE

We didn't explain in our first post about #Silveira's case the reason why he had that outburst. He was speaking in behalf of General #VillasBoas, who tweeted about the possibility of Judge-Minister #Fachin freeing the ex-president and convict criminal #Lula. He tweeted, “IN SUCH A MOMENT #BRAZIL IS GOING THROUGH, WE CAN ONLY ASK THE PEOPLE AND THE INSTITUTIONS, WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT OUR COUNTRY AND ALL THE FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND WHO'S ONLY INTERESTED IN THEIR PERSONAL GAIN?” “I CAN ASSURE THE NATION THAT THE ARMED FORCES SHARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE BRAZILIAN PEOPLE, THEIR DISGUST FOR IMPUNITY AND FOR THE DISREGARD FOR DEMOCRACY, FOR THE #CONSTITUTION, AND FOR THE SOCIAL PEACE. WE REMAIN READY TO TAKE ON OUR INSTITUTIONAL MISSION.”

General Villas-Boas hasn't said a word about Silveira's arrest, and the Military Club issued a statement called “THOUGHTS OF THE MILITARY CLUB,” containing 9 questions for reflection. The questions ask about innumerous moments the #SupremeCourt (#STF) didn't act anywhere as strong when the offenses came from the left.

A couple of other facts about Silveira's arrest: – The Judge-Minister #AlexandredeMorais ordered all #Silveira's #socialmedia accounts, even accounts as congressman (when he's still a congressman), be suspended and they were all taken down in a heartbeat; – Silveira took 2 phones with him to jail and kept using them. He's a ex-military and some people wonder why he did that. Not only this prompted them being seized, but also Judge Morais ordering a thorough investigation of the phones calls and messages; – Silveira's 180° turn from courage and determination and confidence to a pitiful and weak and self-blaming attitude (almost like begging for forgiveness, like a baby crying), considering he's an ex-military and he committed no crime, is hard to understand; – Silveira told a couple of colleagues (quantity and names not informed) that he knew he'd be arrested. His lawyer said in a video, “THERE ARE WAYS OF DOING THINGS AND THIS IS HIS WAY. HE DOESN'T DENY IT. HE SAID TO US, 'LOOK, I'M GOING TO BE ARRESTED, NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. THAT'S HOW I AM.' BUT, THE PROBLEM IS GETTING BIGGER THAN WHAT WE HAD IMAGINED. THE SITUATION IS NOT EASY;” – During his statements to Congress, Silveira said, “DUE TO POPULAR PRESSURE, AND ACTIVISTS' AND POLITICAL GROUPS' PRESSURE, WE ARE LED TO EXAGGERATE, TO BE MOVED BY AN IDEA. IT'S LIKE THAT LITTLE DEVIL THAT COMES TO YOUR EAR AND SAYS, 'GO THERE AND DO IT,' AND YOU DO IT BASED ON FEELINGS.” Who are them?

Silveira had an important role for the right. He wrote a law bill that punishes #censorship, another one to reinforce #freedomofspeech, he requested an investigation into the #votingmachines, and cowrote/cosigned several other positive bills.

As other particularities about Brazil, don't expect much to happen on the weekend, (even during a constitutional crisis).