Twenty Governors Criticize Bolsonaro for Failing to Contribute to ‘Progress of Democracy’

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After the recent attacks by President Jair Bolsonaro, twenty governors signed an open letter criticizing him for statements that “do not contribute to the progress of democracy in Brazil“.

They refer to the president’s recent comments on the ongoing investigation into the murder of city councilor Marielle Franco, in which Bolsonaro anticipates “police investigations to ascribe serious deeds to the conduct of the police and its Governors”.

Bolsonaro said on Saturday, February 15th, that the governor of Bahia, Rui Costa, “keeps very strong ties” with criminals and that the “Bahia State Police, of the Workers’ Party” was behind the death of the ex-Captain of the Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) of the Rio de Janeiro State Police, Adriano da Nóbrega.

The president also claimed that Governor Wilson Witzel was to blame for the leak of the deposition of one of the janitors of the Vivendas da Barra Condo who mentioned his name in the investigation into the deaths of Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes.

The letter also includes Bolsonaro’s comments in which he challenged the heads of state executives to reduce “taxes that are crucial to the survival of the states”. Recently, Bolsonaro had announced that he would cancel federal fuel taxes if all governors would renounce the state-imposed ICMS tax on fuel.

The governors’ text further asks that “institutional boundaries be respected with the responsibility that our mandates require,” and demands: “Balance, wisdom, and dialogue for understanding in the agenda of the people’s interest is what society expects of us”. The governors also invite Bolsonaro to take part in the next National Governors’ Forum, to be held on April 14th.

This is not the first time that governors have reacted to Bolsonaro through a letter of repudiation. In May 2019, governors from 13 states plus the Federal District signed a letter against the decree easing the carrying of weapons and access to ammunition in the country, published by the Jair Bolsonaro government.

In the document, they argue that the new rules may exacerbate the violence rates in the States. The decree was ultimately suspended by the Senate. In October, eight Northeastern governors published a document in support of their colleague from Pernambuco, Paulo Câmara, called a “smart guy” by the president for advertising the state version of the thirteenth-month salary of Bolsa Família (Family Grant), a federal program.

The letter was signed on Monday, February 17th, by 20 Governors: Gladson Cameli, Renan Filho, Waldez Góes, Wilson Lima, Rui Costa, Camilo Santana, Ibaneis Rocha, Renato Casagrande, Flávio Dino, Reinaldo Azambuja, Romeu Zema, Helder Barbalho, João Azevedo, Paulo Câmara, Wellington Dias, Wilson Witzel, Fátima Bezerra, Eduardo Leite, João Doria, and Belivaldo Chagas.

Seven Governors – Ronaldo Caiado, Mauro Mendes, Ratinho Júnior, Marcos Rocha, Antônio Denarium, Carlos Moises, and Mauro Carlesse – did not sign the text.

The newspaper breaking the story contacted the federak government Press Secretariat and is waiting for a reply.

Source: O Estado de S. Paulo