The (Attorney General’s Office) denounced the former governor of Minas Gerais (Novo), a pre-candidate for the Presidency of the Republic, on charges of slander in the case of the video series (Federal Supreme Court).
The piece, signed by the head of , was presented this Friday (15) to the (Superior Court of Justice), and not to the Supreme Court, as requested by the dean of the court. This is because when Zema published the videos he was still head of the Minas Gerais Executive and used institutional channels.
Gilmar sent a criminal report against the former governor of Minas Gerais asking for his inclusion in the fake news investigation. The procedure is confidential. Moraes, case rapporteur, sent the material to the PGR for comment.
Shortly after the complaint, Zema stated, in a note, that the “untouchables”, as he named the series in which he criticizes Supreme Court magistrates and political opponents, do not accept criticism and declared that he does not intend to back down.
“The untouchables do not accept humor. The untouchables do not want to be held accountable for their actions. The untouchables believe they are above other Brazilians. I will not back down a millimeter,” he said.
Gilmar took the initiative after Zema released, last month, a video on his social networks in which a doll that imitates the magistrate in conversation with another that represents the minister.
In the images, Toffoli’s puppet asks Gilmar’s puppet to suspend the breach of his confidentiality, determined by the CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry) into Organized Crime, from . The magistrate’s puppet then overturns the decision.
In return, he asks for “just a courtesy from your resort that’s paid for. I’m up for a little play this week”, referring to the Tayayá resort, which belonged to Toffoli and was bought by a fund linked to , owner of .
The PGR considered that the video published by Zema attributes the crime of passive corruption to Gilmar because it would insinuate that the STF minister had acted in favor of a private interest and used his position as judge for undue protection.
The agency cites, for example, the excerpt in which one of the puppets asks for a “courtesy” at the resort to state that the video published by the former governor creates a direct relationship between Gilmar’s decision at the Organized Crime CPI and an alleged request for an advantage.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the pre-candidate for Planalto was not limited to making an institutional criticism or a political parody and, by associating the minister with certain criminal conduct (in this case, passive corruption), he committed slander.
“The message conveyed is that your excellence [Gilmar Mendes]even given the supposed evidence of laundering of resources and the possible link of the investigated company to Banco Master, they would have been willing to annul the measure approved by the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry to favor Minister Dias Toffoli and his family members”, he says.
Gonet, who is close to Gilmar and was once a partner of the minister at the IDP (Brazilian Institute of Education, Development and Research), still claims that Zema’s publication offends Gilmar’s reputation and affects his dignity. “The narrative, therefore, contains its own defamatory and insulting content, entirely associated with the slanderous content conveyed.”
Furthermore, the PGR’s complaint considers that the dissemination of the videos on social media demonstrates the wide circulation of the offense and the intensification of its effects on the honor of the Dean of the STF.
The former governor of Minas Gerais shared this week the sixth video in the series “Os Intocáveis”, as .
The clash with Gilmar for reinforcing the “anti-system” character of his candidacy. He is ahead of opponents from the right, such as the senator () and the former governor of Goiás ().
The campaign intends to maintain criticism and videos of the actions of ministers and believes that the eventual inclusion of Zema in the fake news investigation would only reinforce the arguments that the Judiciary has become a political Power.
