former Minister of Justice and retired minister of the (Supreme Federal Court), stated this Monday (26) that agents should not comply with illegal orders and that it would be a great risk for employees to “succumb to political or ideological temptations”.
He taught the master class at the Teatro de Arena, in Brasília, and praised the role of the corporation in defending democracy.
“One of the most relevant roles played by the PF in recent times, and historically unusual, was the defense of the Democratic Rule of Law and republican institutions, in a strictly technical way”, said the former minister.
In his speech he also stated that the police officer’s authority “does not come from the weapon he carries, but from the law that supports his actions” and that the greatest risk for the PF is succumbing to political or ideological temptations, “abandoning its eminently technical and legalistic vocation”, without citing specific examples.
The PF agent was sentenced to 21 years in prison for his role in the 2022 coup plot, as was the former deputy, who is a career employee of the agency and was sentenced to 16 years for the episode.
Furthermore, Eduardo Bolsonaro, PF clerk, is accused of trying to coerce the Judiciary into suspending the proceedings against his father in the case. Another example is that of José Fernando Honorato de Azevedo, a retired federal police officer, arrested for participating in the acts of January 8, 2023.
“Here it is worth making an important reminder: although federal police officers have a duty to obey their hierarchical superiors, they are not obliged to carry out manifestly illegal orders, especially because they would violate the rule of law itself”, said the former minister.
He also added that “governments pass and members of State institutions remain.”
Lewandowski, to whom the PF is subordinate, on January 9th of this year, after almost two years at the head of the department. His lecture this Monday had been planned since he was still a minister and he preferred to maintain his participation, according to assistants.
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