Politics

SP advisors have already indicated 2.5 million reais for May 1st.

Published

2 years ago

May 8, 2022

Using parliamentary amendments to fund May 1st Labor Day events has been a consistent practice in Sao Paulo over the past five years. During this period, the mayor’s office allocated 2.5 million reais at the request of councillors. This year, four nominations were approved for a total of 1.1 million reais.

Poll conducted Stadao with official data shows that 17 amendments have already been authorized to pay royalties to artists, organize exhibitions related to the theme, or pay for services related to the assembly of necessary structures for events.

Last Sunday, singer Daniela Mercury gave a presentation at Charles Miller Square during the May 1 pro-Lula of the central unions. 32 kilometers away, the City Hall sponsored a party with musical performances in the Jardim Mirna Square in Grachau, which was attended by Mayor Ricardo Nunez (MDB), Mayor Milton Leite (União Brasil) and Councilor Marcelo Messias (MDB). which also allocated resources through a parliamentary amendment to the celebration.

The Messiah was presented as the great guarantor of the holiday. Along with Nunes and Leyte, who also greeted the audience, he used the microphone to warn those in attendance that “the amendment was for them.” The mayor limited himself to saying that the day was special.

Then the state deputy Adalberto Freitas (PSDB), also from the stage, asked the audience to shout “Marcelo, Marcelo” and he was escorted. Messias, who was referred to as a “party organizer” by the area’s residents, was celebrated the day after he was arrested by military police for allegedly disrespecting the venue. The request would be an act of support and solidarity. Messias did not respond to the report’s contact.

For suffrage lawyer Alberto Rollo, both cases should be handled the same way. “Appeal through parliamentary amendment should be used in the public interest. If there was a request to vote, the electoral law should apply, even with a fine. And if there was a personal promotion, then the case may be about an administrative offense, ”he said.

The allocation of funds to the Daniela Mercury show is the only one under investigation by the Comptroller General of the municipality. The argument is that the presentation was of a party-political nature. The singer performed after a speech by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and raised a flag with the face of PT.

To Stadao the mayor said that the workers’ party held in Grachau did not have the same party-political flavor as the act in support of Lula. Nunes also stated that it was because of the party’s non-partisan nature in the southern zone that he supported the event in 2019 when, in his position as councilor, he intended to make changes to the event.

Kota

Each of the 55 councilors from São Paulo can nominate up to 4 million reais annually for amendments. However, in São Paulo, the municipal budget is non-binding, meaning it does not require the mayor’s office to allocate the requested resources. Since 2010, the municipality has paid over 1.2 billion reais in amendments. Of this amount, one third was intended to finance cultural events.

Councilman Alfredinho (PT), who has moved resources into the infrastructure of the central party, said it is common practice to allocate allowances for cultural events, whether it be work parties, June, neighborhood birthdays, or larger events such as the March for Jesus. . In 2019, a religious event was held in the capital with an adjustment of 1.1 million reais by Councilor Gilberto Nascimento Junior (PSC) in the presence of President Jair Bolsonaro.

In charge of amending the Daniela Mercury show, adviser Sidney Cruz (Solidariedade) said major events in Sao Paulo are funded through Parliament. “This is a legal act in the public interest. But it is clear that we, the advisers, have no interference, no control over the speech of the artists. In the case of Daniela, I myself sent a letter to the Civil Chamber to find out if there was a rejection and asked for the cancellation (blocking) of the payment, ”he said. On Friday the 6th, the company representing the artist demanded the termination of the contract and a subsequent payment of 100,000 reais.

The information is taken from the newspaper. State of Sao Paulo.