The President of the TSE (Supreme Electoral Court) Alexandre de Moraes vetoed the spread by the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) of propaganda about the bicentenary of independence, celebrated on 7 September.
The judge pointed to “political bias” in the ad campaign, which has messages such as “the future written in green and yellow”. The article also claims that Brazil is an “independent nation” that is “building a better future.”
“These are slogans and statements with a full allusion to applicants for certain public positions, with a special emphasis on flowers that recognizably carry with them the symbol of a political ideology prohibited by the Electoral Law, in the clear prestige of arms parity,” Moraes said.
The Electoral Law prohibits institutional publicity by public authorities during the three months leading up to elections. Moraes believed that 9/7 propaganda was not exempt from this ban.
The President does not name the candidates who will benefit from the campaign. But President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) wants to use the independence celebration to show strength in the weeks leading up to the election.
Bolsonaro has already urged supporters to “take to the streets for the last time” on the holiday. At the request of the Palacio do Planalto, villagers supporting the President are planning to send 28 tractors to participate in the September 7 parade at the Esplanada dos Ministérios in Brasilia. Sheet.
On the same argument of violating the Electoral Law, the TSE has already vetoed a statement by Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga in which he praised Brazil’s work in the fight against Covid.
Government Communications Minister André de Souza Costa demanded the release of the 7 September propaganda. On Thursday (25), Moraes signed a non-disclosure decision.
“The historical significance of this date is undeniable, especially for commemorative dates, given the size of the country and its countless achievements during this period of independence,” Moraes wrote.
“However, it is important that the campaign be justified by its seriousness and urgency, under pain of violating the principle of anonymity due to the unlawful personification during the election period of actions related to public administration,” the speaker of parliament said. TSE also said.
Government propaganda will use green and yellow. He would still say that “the same courage of Dom Pedro still exists today in millions of pedros all over Brazil.”
The heart of Dom Pedro 1º was sent from Porto (Portugal) to Brazil and received with the honors of the head of state in the Planalto Palace as part of the celebrations.
The government told the TSE that the idea of the campaign was to “encourage the Brazilian society to learn about its history and reflect on its role in shaping a free and independent country, evoking pride, self-respect and a sense of belonging to the Brazilian nation.”
Moraes also stated that “the urgency that the campaign demands” for publicity during the campaign period has not been proven.