• President #Bolsonaro attended the opening of a 1-mile bridge connecting the State of #Acre to #Rondonia. The construction had been planned to start 6 years ago, but it was impeded by the strong lobby of ferryboat owners who was making about 100,000 reals a day by charging to transport vehicles, cargo, and people from one side to the other.
• The civil and military police of #RiodeJaneiro made a surprise raid in the Favela of #Jacarezinho with the purpose of arresting some criminals involved in recruiting underage youngsters to work with drug dealing. During the raid, criminals quickly responded with heavy fire and fatally hit one officer in the head. Shots coming from criminals hit passengers inside a city train. 25 criminals were killed during the operation. The police used helicopters, which had been restrict by the #SupremeCourt (#STF) to fly any closer than 1.25 miles from a school or hospital, greatly diminishing the effectiveness of operations by giving criminals a hint of which areas they can use for cover from an air patrol or an air chase.
• #SergioMoro gave up running for president in 2022. #Moro became notorious for leading the #LavaJato (#CarWash) operation, the biggest anticorruption operation #Brazil has ever seen. He was assigned minister of justice by President #Bolsonaro but later fell into disgrace. The amount of loss of reputation and importance he reached is remarkable.
• President #Bolsonaro attended a motorcycle ride on #MothersDay. He rode along with hundreds of others in the streets of #Brasilia. This city is known to host the third largest motorcycle event in the world, #BrasiliaCapitalMotoWeek, which lasts 10 days and happens toward the end of July to coincide with National Motorcyclist Day on July 27th (World Motorcycle Day is on June 21st). Bolsonaro is used to riding a motorcycle a couple of times a month, and one or another person would approach him and express their wish to have the chance to ride along. Bolsonaro then decided to plan this last Sunday's ride. #capitalmotoweek
• #RiodeJaneiro Mayor #EduardoPaes was caught disobeying his own city's pandemic restrictions. He was filmed singing in a bar called #ArmazemSenado, the place was crowded inside, no social distancing, and very few people is seen wearing a mask including him.

• An 88-year-old Brazilian actor called #StenioGarcia took the two shots of the Chinese vaccine #Sinovac (under the research name #Coronavac) and tested positive for #COVID, calling the attention again to the long-reported low efficacy of this one vaccine. The test result said he didn't even develop any antibody. The Brazilian organization behind the import of Sinovac, #Butanta (Butantã), is pushing for a third vaccination.
• #Niteroi's mayor imposed restrictions on what can be bought at supermarkets and grocery stores. According to him, only “essential” items can be sold from this Monday on. #RiodeJaneiro
• A senator called #JorgeKajuru leaked a six-minute phone conversation he recorded between him and President #Bolsonaro discussing the request to open an investigation on the government's actions in relation to the #pandemic. In the audio, Bolsonaro tells #Kajuru, the main author of the investigation request, that, as is, the investigation will leave mayors and governors and #SupremeCourt (#STF) judges out of it, rendering an unfair and incomplete investigation. Kajuru asks the president to be more considerate of him because he is on his side. Bolsonaro says he believes in his good intention, but reinforces that he signed an investigation that aimed at questioning the government only and that no good intention could make up for this fact. He asks Kajuru to show his good intention by adding mayors and governors and Supreme Court judges into the request, since all of them took decisions of their own regarding the #pandemic, to which Kajuru fails to give a positive and confident answer. The request clearly asks “TO INVESTIGATE THE ACTIONS AND OMISSIONS OF THE FEDERAL GOV'T.” In a part where it says “JUSTIFICATION [FOR THE RESQUEST],” it starts with, “THE FEDERAL GOV'T HAS, SYSTEMICALLY, VIOLATED BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE BRAZILIAN POPULATION WHEN IT COMES TO LIFE AND HEALTH.” The reason he gave for the leak is that people was bothering him by saying he was having private conversations with the president, so he wanted to show he had nothing to hide. Problem is, #Globo, the biggest public television in #Brazil and also an openly antiBolsonaro organization, covered the leak in their Sunday night's show #Fantastico e Kajuru showed approval and reposted it on Twitter account. The fuel for animosity towards Bolsonaro had been low recently, and this leak was the fuel the opposition needed to raise hell again and boost their call for Bolsonaro's impeachment, alleging he was trying to interfere with the powers, trying to collude with a senator to go after the opposition. Further evidence Kajuru recorded and leaked the call with bad intention is a tweet where he says, “KASSIO, WE KNOW YOUR PRICE!!!” #KassioNunes is a conservative judge-minister appointed by Bolsonaro. Nunes signaled he would vote against the investigation if mayors and governors and judge-ministers weren't added to it. #COVID
• The #Bolsonaro administration got a much higher value in investment from the ports' and airports' concessions bidding than they expected, making the left go nuts after months insinuating the government was a disaster and the world was afraid of investing in #Brazil. This also shows that many foreign investors are not that naive to rely only on what the mainstream media reports.

• About 500 people marched in front of #RioGrandedoSul's gov't building in protest against the lockdown measures. #covid #pandemic
• Due to the controversial nullification of former president #Lula's sentence, General Luiz Eduardo Rocha Paiva, member of the gov't's Amnesty Commission, wrote and published a letter on the Military Club's website condemning the action, but although the Armed Forces expressing their disapproval is welcome and help the people feel that they are paying attention and are sharing the same outrage—better late than never—, two parts of the text sound disheartening. In one he wrote, “THE #STF (#SupremeCourt) GAVE A FATAL BLOW TO THE BALANCE OF POWERS, ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE DEMOCRATIC REGIME AND OF THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PEACE.” What does 'fatal blow' means here if the military hasn't done anything? Ok, he may be referring to the next one. There should be some action on the next one or the phrase 'fatal blow' will have meant nothing. In another part, in the very beginning, he wrote, “[JUDGE-]MINISTER FACHIN'S DECISION, FREEING LULA FROM HIS SENTENCE, WAS A SLAP ON THE FACE (FORGIVE ME THE EXPRESSION) OF THE BRAZILIAN NATION.” Yes, he apologized for using the expression bofetada, which is a synonym of tapa ('slap'), and which in no way sounds rude or too strong. It's worth remembering Judge-Minister #AlexandredeMoraes hurt the #Constitution badly twice between 2019 and last month, when he, also monocratically, accused, investigated, arrested, judged, and sentenced; first a journalist, and then a congressman. According to the Constitution, #Moraes could have been arrested by President #Bolsonaro, who chose not to.
• The population of #AngradosReis, in #RiodeJaneiro, invaded City Hall. They are outraged by the mayor's decision to put a lockdown in place, after he ran in 2020 promising alignment with #Bolsonaro and no more strong restriction measures. A video shows people forcing their way in and one guard trying to keep them out. As they are entering they chant “WE WANT TO WORK!” Angra dos Reis does not have a high #COVID infection or death rate and the excuse the mayor gave was that the country is going through a hard time. #pandemic #lockdown
• #JanainaPaschoal, coauthor of former president #DilmaRousseff's impeachment, believes the reason behind judge-minister #Fachin's decision to nullify #Lula's sentence is the fear that even more damning messages leaked from #LavaJato become public. If Fachin's intention was to halt the investigations on the illegal practices in the operation, this was still not fully accomplished as the Superior Justice Court (#STJ) is still willing to proceed with the investigation. #dilma #moro #dallagnol
• The republican-like Congresswoman #BiaKicis was elected as president of the Constitution and Justice Commission in Congress. This is a big win for the #Bolsonaro administration. With her and a less partisan president in Congress, #Bolsonaro should see most of his projects at least go for a vote.
• After the Department (Ministry) of Culture announced that it will no longer approve money for events that can't happen under a regular planning schedule for any reason, like lockdown or renovation, the Brazilian Lawyers Association (#OAB) issued a letter criticizing the decision, claiming it to contribute for the destruction of culture. Secretary (Minister) #MarioFrias tweeted, “I HAVE A QUESTION: IS OAB DEFENDING OUR CULTURE OR THE PERCENTAGE LAW FIRMS RECEIVE FOR EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT'S APPROVED UNDER THE ROUANET LAW?” Law firms receive 15% of the money. OAB has been criticized for it's open leftist political activism. Many people consider it a disgrace for the country, not only for the activism per se, but for the fact that lawyers can't work without their approval and without paying them, even though a lawyer is graduated. OAB seems to be a union disguised as an association, and as with the majority of unions you are forced to pay, they don't need to convince you that it's worth paying them.

• 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.

• A video of a street vendor being approach by the military police and being put into the trunk of a police car Thursday night in #Bahia went viral. He was not supposed to be out at that time due to the #curfew. He said he lost the last bus and no more buses had come since then. At a certain moment, one of the officers forcibly approaches him and puts him in the trunk of the police vehicle while the vendor says, “DON'T HURT ME!” What's shocking about the video is that the officer's approach is nearly the same as if approaching a criminal, which very much makes you believe the guy is a criminal (if you didn't know the context). Another thing that worries is the fact that another officer, when he realizes there's someone recording it, approaches the person and says, “IF THIS GENTLEMAN IS BEING FILMED [BY YOU] YOU'RE GOING TO BE A WITNESS. COME ON [WITH US].” #covid #covid19 #coronavirus #abuseofpower
• The #Senate approved a bill that authorizes private companies to buy vaccines. It's now headed to the #Congress. If it passes, President #Bolsonaro may veto it because the bill removes the responsibility for side effects of the #vaccine from the makers and put it in the government. #covid #covid19 #coronavirus
• Some residents of the city of #Araraquara in the State of #SaoPaulo, which is under a full #lockdown period, have reported some food shortage and some price hike. #covid #covid19 #coronavirus #brazil
• Keeping the annoying and uncalled-for habit of giving interviews nonstop, one of the judge-ministers of the #SupremeCourt (#STF), #EdsonFachin, listed the seven symptoms of a corrupt democracy during an interview for the leftist, liberal, progressive, #FolhadeSaoPaulo (#Folha). They are [with comments], “REMILITARIZATION OF A CIVIL GOVERNMENT” [the military regime was the most stable and orderly period #Brazil had ever experienced in a long time, failed by the 'positivist' mindset and old-anti-#communism combat tactics, while the “civil” government that started in 1988 never made the country any better, so this argument per se doesn't say much], “INTIMIDATION [BY CALLS TO SHUT DOWN THE OTHER POWERS—#CONGRESS, #SENATE, AND #STF” [there was never a direct call to shut them down, but to the possibility of them being shut down due to their unconstitutional behavior, and since #Bolsonaro was elected, no actual attempt has been made and no plan to do so has ever been exposed], “MINIMIZATION OF THE VALUE OF VOTING” [the judge-ministers have been reacting positively to making the voting process even more digital, like voting by phone, which makes it even more prone to fraud, while #Bolsonaro, his allies, and his supporters support the opposite, walking toward more auditability, even if it means partially using paper], “ATTACKS AGAINST THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS” [it was the STF who censored a news outlet back on 2019, who ordered the arrest of a journalist twice in 2019 and 2020, who ordered the conservative site #TercaLivre to be mass suspended on social media platforms in 2021, who ordered the arrest of a congressman for a thought crime and also demanded all his social media accounts to be suspended in 2021; no such restricting actions were ever taken by the President #Bolsonaro; the most he has done was to harshly criticize the big old media, call them corrupt, unfair, evil, disgraceful], “ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE SALES OF WEAPONS AND THUS OF VIOLENCE” [violence in Brazil increased after the gun ban in 2005, and since #Bolsonaro was elected and a few of his pro-guns decrees passed, along with other measures, violence has decreased; also, violence numbers in countries were fire weapons are allowed don't support the judge-minister's reasoning], “NORMALIZING ADMINISTRATIVE AGENTS' CORRUPTION” [one of his administration's hallmark is the nearly total elimination of corruption, at least at the highest level] and “REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ELECTION RESULTS” [the president never refused to accept the elections' results, but expressed that if the vote can't be audited, fraud is possible].
• The tax over imported #fireweapons was going to be zero this year, but the judge-minister of the #SupremeCourt (#STF) #EdsonFachin issued an injunction order halting the decree. Another judge-minister commented that zeroing the tax and thus increasing the sales of fire weapons in #Brazil is a “RISK FOR THE STABILITY OF DEMOCRACY.” Once again, the STF ruling over things it shouldn't. #guns #gunsales #gunban #disarmament #selfdefense #fachin
• As of February 26th, the states that were imposing the lockdown were #Bahia, #DistritoFederal, #Maranhao, #Paraiba, #Pernambuco, #Piaui, #RioGrandedoSul, #Rondonia, and #SaoPaulo. Aside from the lockdown, these states' governors have another thing in common: They strongly oppose #Bolsonaro. #covid #covid19 #coronavirus
• During a speech and while he was talking about the stronger #lockdown measures imposed by some governors, President #Bolsonaro said, “THE RELIEF CHECK WILL BE COMING FOR A COUPLE MORE MONTHS. THE GOVERNOR THAT DESTROYS JOBS SHOULD PAY FOR THE RELIEF CHECK. [...] THOSE WHO CLOSE EVERYTHING AND DESTROY JOBS ARE GOING AGAINST THE WISH OF THEIR PEOPLE.” #covid #covid19 #coronavirus
• Writer and philosopher #OlavodeCarvalho is in hospital in the US with #pneumonia.
• Leaked messages exchanged by #LavaJato Operation prosecutors show that they had illegal access to the President #Bolsonaro family's personal information, including fiscal, right after he was elected. They laugh in several moments. The data was accessed by the COAF ('Council for Financial Activities Control') and the MP ('Public Ministry' or 'Prosecution Office'). #RobertoLeonel was in control of the COAF back then, he was assigned by #SergioMoro, and the latter got very upset when COAF was taken out of the control of his ministry by President Bolsonaro. #Leonel is behind the leaks from COAF, and he is referred in one of the messages by one prosecutor as “HE IS 1000.” 'To be 1000' is an expression that means a person helped someone else greatly; it's like saying, “He was so helpful that saying he was 100% helpful is not enough. Maybe 1000%?” #carwash #deltandallagnol #moro
• The city of #Buzios, in the State of #RiodeJaneiro, reached zero hospitalizations for #COVID. They bet strongly on prevention, not withholding themselves from making use of several medications that can possibly help avoid cases from getting too serious, like #ivermectin #hydroxychloroquine, vitamin D, zinc, etc. This example contrasts with other cities, where the number of too serious cases surpassed the number of hospital rooms. #covid19 #coronavirus
• Some #Brazil(ian) states and some cities in some states are going for a #curfew in order to stop or slow down the spread of the virus. According to the #Constitution, the curfew can only be allowed in two situations: State of Defense and State of Emergency. The State of Defense allows for the curfew in isolated areas, as long as there is a social unrest or a natural disaster that's big enough to result in lack of control by the local authorities. It can last 30 days and be extended for 30 more days. If the lack of control persists, then the State of Emergency is the next step. In this case, it allows for the curfew to be extended to areas where everything is apparently calm, and several constitutional rights are suspended, but in order for a curfew to start, the president (not a mayor or a governor) needs the #Congress' approval—this is to show you how extreme a curfew is. Beyond this point, the military intervention is the call. The virus and the rulings it has caused to be issued have resulted in all the rules regarding curfews being broken, in cities and states making decisions about putting it in place regardless of the government's direction. In other words, mayors and governors are breaking the Constitution, paving the way for a federal intervention; but, will there be? And, how long will unconstitutional actions continue to be taken for? #covid #covid19 #coronavirus
• The #Congress is discussing a bill called [Speech] Immunity Bill. It has the purpose of clarifying where the limit of the #SupremeCourt (#STF) is when it comes to its power to warrant the arrest of a congressperson for a thought crime. In its original form, the bill made it clear only the Congress Ethical Counsel could apply a punishment, but some parties, like #PT, leftist, is critical of the bill for totally leaving the judiciary out of it. At least one congressman, the infamous and often ridiculed #KimKataguiri (another politician who did a great job pre-#Bolsonaro, campaigned for him and was elected in great part because of him, but ultimately flipped 180°), came to the point of asking the STF to interfere in the Congress' affairs by ordering that this bill be prohibited from even being discussed, and one judge-minister was already chosen to analyze this possibility. #freedomofspeech

• #Mining in Brazil has increased 36% in 2020 compared to 2019, generating 72.2 billion reals in taxes.
• #Brazil has made official an agreement in the #WTO to allow Brazilian companies to compete for bidding contracts in 48 countries. #worldtradeorganization
• The mayor of #Niterói, State of #RiodeJaneiro, is doing what the “#conspiracytheorists” predicted it would start happening. #AxelGrael signed a law bill that mandates the #COVID19 #vaccination to all citizens, and whoever refuses to take it, will be fined for 'serious sanitary offense' and might be charged criminally and might lose the right to get any pandemic help from City Hall, which includes money and food aid. Anyone who wants to get the help must show vaccination proof. The author of the law is from the far left party #PSOL. Axel is brother of #IrmãosGrael (#Graelbrothers), #LarsGrael and #TorbenGrael, Olympic medalists in sailing. #coronavirus #chinesevirus #chinavirus #grael #olympics
• The gov't is considering sending out three more relief checks due to the #pandemic. This time, it should be directed to people who are informal workers and are not covered by the Bolsa Família ('Family Check, a welfare program), and the amount of each check should be between 200 and 300 reals. It should be called BIP, or Bônus de Inclusão Produtiva ('Productive Inclusion Bonus').

The Brazilian federal police seized the highest quantity of cocaine in the history of #RiodeJaneiro. It was almost 2.5 tons in the city of #Caxias. According to a news media called #OGlobo, 2.2 lb (1 kg) of cocaine was worth 213 thousand reals in 2016. If we consider the value hasn't changed, those 2.5 tons mean over 532 billion reals.

Also, the federal police arrested the middleman responsible for supplying guns to the #Rio's biggest criminal gang.

#brazil #bolsonaro #jairbolsonaro #drugs #drugtrafficking #cocaine #police #federalpolice #carioca

#RiodeJaneiro's and #SãoPaulo's governors, #Witzel and #Dória, respectively, are being investigated in what has been popularly called #Covidão ('Big Covid').

Both of them were great #Bolsonaro supporters, but once Bolsonaro was elected, they turned their backs on him. After the pandemic started, their administrations have been accused of frauds and corruption schemes.

Dória, for instance, paid 45 million dollars ahead of time for a Chinese company to make 3,000 ventilators, but only 50 were delivered. Dória tried to solve the problem, renegotiating the contract, and the Chinese company promised to delived over 1,000 units quickly, but only 300 were, with the cost per unit increasing to around U$100,000 per unit. The contract was reviewed by investigators and it was found that there was no conditions for break of contract by the Chinese company. The contract was eventually terminated.

This scandal is at the state level, but there are scandals at city levels, including the City of São Paulo.

In Rio, the investigation is more advanced, and Witzel is temporarily away from his position as governor. The fraud and corruption scandals involving Witzel also involves several private businesses and religious institutions.

#saopaulo #covid #covid19 #coronavirus #chinesevirus

A news media outlet called #VEJA, known for its leftwing position, posting #fakenews and #misinformation more often than not, posted an article saying that the biggest criminal faction in #Rio, #ComandoVermelho, has been sheltering mercenaries with military experience from #Africa and #EastEurope to help train CV members in #Brazil.

The article says CV has over 5,000 rifles, 30,000 members, currently controls most of the drug business, and has dangerously grown in the neighboring states of #Acre (which borders #Bolivia and #Peru) and #Amazonas (#Colombia, #Peru, and #Venezuela).

One controversial thing about this article is the fact that it was based on information provided in a #WhatsApp group, and this group exposed personal information from an American, claiming that he's been involved in training CV members. He posted a video saying he's not doing that, that he's married to a Brazilian, also that he filed a report at the police, and finally he made an appeal to #Bolsonaro by offering military and #lawenforcement personnel training for free.

#riodejaneiro #cvermelho #unitedstates #americans #drugs