The President of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (DEM-MG), defended this Thursday (25) the change in Brazil’s foreign policy, adding that it was one of the points of failure of the country in the face of the Covid pandemic -19. However, Pacheco said it was up to the president to decide whether or not to replace Minister Ernesto Araújo.
Pacheco also considered the gesture of the international adviser to the presidency, Filipe Martins, during a Senate session as “totally inappropriate” and firmly rejected any act which “involves racism”.
Pacheco gave an interview to reporters upon his arrival for the session of the National Congress which will vote on the 2021 budget.
The Senate president was questioned about the harsh criticism of senators against Minister Ernesto Araújo, who had attended a session the day before. Parliamentarians were virtually unanimous in calling for the Chancellor’s resignation and attacking his conduct of foreign policy.
“Far beyond impersonating or examining the specific work of a chancellor, what needs to be changed is Brazil’s foreign policy. Obviously, it needs to be improved, improved, ”said Pacheco.
“International relations must be more present, in an environment of greater diplomacy. This is something that is obvious to everyone, not only to the National Congress but to all Brazilians who see this need for Brazil to have better external representation than today, ”he added. .
The pressure of the senators adds to the criticisms of the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira (PP-AL). Behind the scenes of the Congress, interlocutors say that Lira and Pacheco are exerting strong pressure for the replacement of Ernesto Araújo.
Pacheco avoided expressing his opinion on the permanence of the Chancellor or not. He said the decision rested with President Jair Bolsonaro (without a party).
“This matter of leaving or entering ministers, I believe you can only dismiss those you admit. It is the role of the President of the Republic, it is the prerogative of the President of the Republic and he will have to take the best decisions to improve the government, ”he declared.
“Obviously, there are criticisms and criticisms being voiced regarding Brazil’s foreign policy, and it’s up to the president to decide who is the best name to be the chancellor of Brazil, if he is the current minister. or another minister, “he added. .
Asked about his personal perception of the minister’s performance, Pacheco said there were many mistakes in the face of the pandemic and one of them was the conduct of foreign policy, which hampered relations with countries who could collaborate with Brazil.
“I consider that we had a lot of mistakes in the face of the pandemic, one of them was the failure to establish a diplomatic and productive relationship with several countries that could be collaborators in this acute moment of crisis that we are experiencing. in Brazil, ”he said.
“There is still time to change to save lives. Unfortunately, we have lost many lives in Brazil, due to a very varied situation, which is not the sole responsibility of anyone or of a ministry. It is a national problem that we have to face. And what we must do now is change the course of this foreign policy to have international partnerships, ”he added.
The president of the Senate also criticized the behavior of the international adviser to the presidency, Filipe Martins, who accompanied Ernesto Araújo during a session of the Senate on Wednesday (24). He judged the gesture “totally inappropriate” for the environment of the Senate.
“We cannot have any prejudices in relation to the fact, but, really, seeing the images, we have identified a gesture that is totally inappropriate for the environment of the Senate,” he said.
“We want here, once again, to repudiate all acts which involve racism or discrimination of any kind, repudiate any type of obscene act as well, if that was the connotation, in the Senate or outside” , he added.
Martins was caught in the footage, sitting behind Pacheco, gesturing with his hands, forefinger and thumb forming a circle, while the other fingers were stretched out.
In countries experiencing the growth of far-right movements, the gesture is linked to the white supremacist movement. The three outstretched fingers symbolize the letter “w”, which would refer to the English word “white”. The circle formed represents the letter “p”, for the word “power”. In other words, the symbol is indicated as symbolizing “white power”.
Researchers who study far-right symbols say the gesture was used as a coded message with the intent that members of racist groups could identify with.
The obscenity also associated with the gesture comes from its use in Brazil as a way of saying “take in c.”.
On his social media, Martins said he was fixing the lapel of his suit and would sue those who associated him with the supremacist movement.
By decision of Pacheco, the case has been brought before the General Secretariat of the Office of the Senate and will also involve a diligence of the legislative police. The counselor should be summoned in the next few days to explain himself to the police. The investigation is proceeding in a manner similar to a case in the civilian police.
“Once the fact reported by Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), leader of the opposition, that this fact had occurred, I immediately ordered the General Secretariat of the Office to collect the images and transmit them to the legislative police of the Federal Senate so that by an appropriate procedure, to investigate the fact, to materialize the behavior through the evidence which must be constituted in the procedure, to identify the paternity and to assess the criminal nature of the fact ”, he added. he adds.
“There, it was a very serious job that we were doing and that this type of behavior could not be present in such an environment. But obviously without pre-judgments, guaranteeing the broad defense, the adversary, the regularity of the legal procedure. This fact must be investigated, in particular by listening to the counselor, allowing him to give the version on this fact. “
There is a movement of pressure on the part of the senators for the resignation of Filipe Martins.