The “super request” presentation featured opposition leaders such as the national president of the Workers’ Party (PT) MP Glazy Hoffmann, and Jair Bolsonaru’s political opponents such as MPs Kim Katagiri and Joyce Hasselmann, both former allies of the head of state.
The document, presented at a time when the government is overwhelmed by allegations of alleged corruption in procurement of covid-19 vaccines, consolidates arguments already presented in more than 120 requests to dismiss Bolsonaro already filed with the Chamber of Deputies.
“We have filed a super-impeachment request [destituição] Bolsonar. More than 100 complaints have already been received with charges of committing crimes. (…) We are waiting for acceptance! No one can endure this government of death any longer, playing to the health of Brazilians and destroying the country, ”wrote Glazy Hoffmann on Twitter.
“Bolsonaro is responsible for more than 500,000 deaths from COVID-19 and has committed crimes against public health, institutions, democracy and public finances. Get out of Bolsonaro so that Brazil can get out of the crisis, ”the MP added.
The national president of PT also said the impeachment request “contains 21 crimes of responsibility” allegedly committed by Bolsonaro and “consists of 23 offenses.”
The statement cited recent suspicions of corruption in a contract to purchase the Indian covid-19 vaccine Covaxin.
The document also contains accusations of Bolsonaro of committing hostile actions against a foreign state; undermine the free exercise of the legislature, judiciary and constitutional powers of the states; committing a crime against national security by supporting demonstrations calling for military intervention or closing the Supreme Congress;
The text also points to unlawful interference with the activities of the Federal Police to protect personal and family interests; exacerbate the pandemic, including through denials and attacks on the right to health.
Deputy Kim Kataguiri, coordinator of Movimento Brasil Livre (MBL), an important right-wing group that supported Jair Bolsonaro after he came to power, stressed that under normal circumstances he would not share the platform with several left-wing parties. but he stressed that this is the moment that unites parties from all political strata.
MP Joyce Hasselmann, who was already a government leader in Congress in the first year of Bolsonaro’s government, said backing the impeachment request was not an ideological issue, saying Bolsonaro was acting in an incredible way in the fight against the pandemic.
“We could have had 200,000 fewer deaths in the country if we had the vaccine, the distance and the use of masks. (…) Two hundred thousand killed – this is what killed the atomic bomb in Hiroshina and Nagazaki. He dropped two bombs on the country. Anyone who loves this country cannot accept this, ”said the congressman.
“Congress cannot tie its hands to so many crimes committed by the president. This is not about the government being good, bad, regular. It is about not allowing the government to commit crimes, ”said, in turn, leftist MP Marcelo Freixo.
Signers also include representatives from the Brazilian Bar Association for Democracy (ABJD), the Brazilian Press Association (ABI), Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (APIB), the National Council of Christian Churches of Brazil (Conic) or the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST).
Now the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, elected to the post with the support of Bolsonaro, must decide whether to accept the request or not.
