Brazil’s Former Minister Sérgio Moro Claims to Be Afraid, Laments Attacks on Wife

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Ex-Minister of Justice and Public Safety Sérgio Moro said he is afraid of suffering an attack after leaving the Jair Bolsonaro government. He also disclosed that people are preparing and disclosing files on his wife with fallacious information. As a result, the ex-Minister has been pressured by his family to leave Brazil and distance himself from politics.

Upon leaving the Ministry, Moro accused the President, arguing that he could not remain in charge of the portfolio with no autonomy following the dismissal of the then Director General of the Federal Police, Maurício Valeixo. Bolsonaro rebutted the ex-Minister in a statement. Since then, the President, his sons, and government supporters have been trading barbs with Moro through social media.

“Of course I’m afraid. I still have the Federal Police protection. I don’t like to talk about it much. This is something that scares people close to me,” said the ex-judge in an interview with Veja magazine.

“They attacked my wife and are producing and spreading files against her with entirely false information. She never did anything wrong. Neither I nor she did anything wrong. These same methods of intimidation were used in the past, during Lava Jato, when the one being investigated and prosecuted was ex-president Lula,” Moro added.

The attorney also pointed out that by denouncing President Bolsonaro in his resignation request, he did not intend to be the chief executive’s hangman.

“Public opinion understood what I said and the reasons for my statement. It is important to make this very clear: it was never my intention to be the President’s executioner or to hurt the government. In fact, I was extremely sorry that I had to take this position. What I did and understood as my obligation was to leave the government and explain why I was leaving. That’s the truth,” he said.

More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error