Brazilian Senator is Threatened After Taking Over Committee on Fake News

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL –  Senator Angelo Coronel (PSD-BA) began to receive death threats after he took over the presidency of the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry on Fake News, which investigates, among other things, the use of false news and profiles to influence the outcome of the last elections.

The CPI began operating on September 4th and has already held two meetings.

He says he began receiving anonymous messages in his work email that said he had no idea who he was “messing with” and that promised to “fill his mouth with lead”.

The senator reported the incidents to the Legislative Police, which is investigating the case. The Senate provided security personnel to follow him.

“None of this will threaten me, it only encourages me. It is very worrying that there are still people who need to hide because they don’t have the courage to exercise criticism in an open, frank and democratic way. We will work to curb this,” the senator told VEJA.

The committee was established to investigate the spreading of false news in last year’s presidential elections. The bill was managed by the Centrão (center parties) and was coordinated by Chamber President Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ), two of the main targets of virtual attacks by pro-Bolsonaro networks.

The spread of false news is also the target of an inquiry in the Federal Supreme Court, which is investigating threats to court justices.

The CPI is a mixed body, comprising 15 senators and 15 full deputies and an equal number of alternates. The committee will have 180 days to investigate the production of false profiles to influence last year’s elections and the cyberattacks on democracy and public debate.

The same CPI will also target cyber-bullying against vulnerable officials and citizens and enticing children to commit hate crimes and suicide.

Source: Veja