Brazil Publishes Education Minister’s Dismissal Only After He Lands on US Soil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Saturday, President Jair Bolsonaro published the dismissal of Abraham Weintraub as Minister of Education. Weintraub left Brazil on Friday night for the United States, while he still retained the privileges of a Minister of State, including a diplomatic passport.

The publication in a special edition of the Federal Gazette occurred hours after Weintraub’s brother, Arthur Weintraub, and the Communications Office of the Ministry of Education (MEC) confirmed his arrival in the United States.

The news that the now ex-Minister of Education had left the country and traveled to the US was first reported on Saturday morning by his brother, Arthur Weintraub, special advisor to the Presidency.

The portfolio later confirmed that the Minister, who was dismissed on Thursday, had traveled to the US on a scheduled flight. Also according to the MEC, Abraham Weintraub left Brazil on Friday from São Paulo. The portfolio’s Executive Secretary, Paulo Vogel, was temporarily appointed to replace him.

According to Weintraub’s Twitter, he is in the city of Miami, Florida. On Saturday, the ex-Minister published on social media that he had intended to leave his country “as soon as possible”.

Weintraub is under investigation in Brazil for racism, as well as being a target in the inquiry into attacks on Federal Supreme Court (STF) justices. The delay in publishing Weintraub’s dismissal may have helped him enter the United States, which has closed its borders to most Brazilians.

Since he traveled on Friday while still officially a Minister of State, he may have made use of one of the exceptions in the US government’s decision, based on the Covid-19 pandemic, to close the country’s borders to foreigners coming from Brazil; the regulation does allow foreign government officials holding a diplomatic passport to enter the United States.

When questioned, MEC said it was unaware of the type of passport Weintraub used to leave the country and enter the United States.

As a Brazilian government nominee for a position in the World Bank, he could possibly claim his position in the category of an international organization employee. However, in this capacity, Weintraub’s entry could be challenged on the grounds that his position in the bank has not yet been made official.

Abraham Weintraub had already Tweeted twice on Saturday morning that his brother’s location was the city of Miami. At 8:17 AM and 8:37 AM, he posted that the American city was his current location.

Weintraub’s trip to the United States was suggested throughout the week and confirmed by himself on video on Thursday when he resigned from his position. Supporters said that his departure from the country was motivated by concerns that he would be arrested as a result of the inquiries in which he is being investigated.

However, in his farewell, Weintraub said he would “pass the baton” on to the next Minister to be chosen and take part in the transition process at the MEC. Despite the promise, the new cabinet chief has not been announced and no transition has been made so far.

Last Friday, Weintraub had reiterated his intention to leave Brazil, without explaining his reasons, in a post addressed to the governor of São Paulo, João Doria. Yesterday morning, the ex-Minister published a message celebrating the 900,000 followers mark on his social media but failed to comment on his whereabouts.

“A warning to the tigers and the angora cats (very sweet governor). I am leaving Brazil as soon as possible (for a few days). I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT! I want to be quiet, leave me alone, but do not taunt me!” he wrote last Friday.

STF inquiry

The economist, who once served as the Chief of Staff of Jair Bolsonaro before replacing Ricardo Vélez Rodriguez at MEC, is under investigation in the fake news inquiry. The STF plenary decided last Wednesday to maintain the now ex-Minister in the investigation, after an unsuccessful appeal lodged on Weintraub’s behalf by the Minister of Justice, André Mendonça.

Weintraub is charged with six offenses, including crimes against national security, political and social order, and slander against Court justices.

At the April 22nd cabinet meeting, the video of which was released by a decision of Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello in connection with the inquiry into former Justice Minister Sérgio Moro’s accusations of political interference in the Federal Police by President Bolsonaro, Weintraub advocated the arrest of STF justices.

In the video, he claims he is in favor of the arrest of “thugs, starting with the STF,” pointing to the Three Powers Square.

Last weekend, the ex-Minister attended an anti-democratic rally organized by Bolsonaro’s supporters. In violation of a Federal District government decree for circulating in public without a mask, Weintraub was recorded reiterating his criticism of the Supreme Court.

The incident expedited his removal from the Ministry, which had already been planned since the crisis between the Executive and the Judicial branches had escalated.

Source: O Globo