Governors meet with President Lula, condemn anti-democratic acts

A day after the coup acts that resulted in the destruction of the Congress, the Planalto presidential palace and the Supreme Court, governors, or vice-governors of 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District met in Brasilia on Monday night (Jan. 9) with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to reaffirm the defense of democracy and condemn attempts at institutional breakdown in the country. 

Head of the House of Representatives Arthur Lira, acting head of the Senate Veneziano Vital do Rêgo, and head of the Supreme Court Rosa Weber, as well as other justices of the Supreme Court have also participated in the meeting.

"It is important to emphasize that this forum [of governors] respects the various political shades that make up the ideological and party plurality of our country, but we all have a non-negotiable cause, which unites us: democracy," said the governor of Pará Hélder Barbalho, who articulated the event.

During the meeting, the state leaders were unanimous in emphasizing the defense of the democratic Rule of Law in the country. "This meeting today means that Brazilian democracy will become, after yesterday's episodes, even stronger," São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas said.

Rio Grande do Norte Governor Fátima Bezerra spoke of her indignation at the scenes of destruction of the country's greatest symbols of republican democracy and called for punishment of the coup plotters. "It was very painful to see yesterday's scenes, the violence reaching the heart of the Republic. These acts cannot go unpunished," she said.

Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite pointed out some of the joint actions taken by the states, such as the deployment of police officers to maintain order in the Federal District and the demobilization of coup encampments throughout Brazilian states. "In addition to making police officers available, we are also working in synergy to maintain order in our states.

Federal District acting Governor Celina Leão said the capital's government "is in line with democracy", and mentioned that so far over 1.5 thousand people have been arrested for involvement in acts of vandalism. Celina Leão replaces governor Ibaneis Rocha, removed on Monday (9), by decision of the Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. According to Leão, governor Rocha "is a democrat," but, "unfortunately, he has received several misinformation during the crisis."

Since yesterday, the Federal District public security is under federal intervention. The decree signed by President Lula still needs to be approved by the Congress. Its approval will occur in a symbolic way, assured the head of the House of Representatives. "We will vote symbolically, unanimously, to demonstrate that the House of the people is united in defense of harsh measures for this small radical group, which harassed institutions and tried to leave democracy squatting yesterday," Arthur Lira stated.

Financiers

In his speech to the governors, President Lula thanked them for their solidarity and harshly criticized the groups involved in the acts of vandalism.

"You have come to show solidarity towards the country and democracy. What we saw yesterday had been foreseen. People had no agenda. They were demanding a coup, that was the only thing one could hear," he said.

The president also criticized the actions of the police forces and said it is necessary to investigate and find the financiers of antidemocratic acts. "The police in Brasilia neglected. Brasilia's intelligence neglected. In the videos you can see police officers talking to the invaders. We are not going to be authoritarian with anyone, but we will not be lukewarm with anyone. We will find out who financed [the coup acts].

Minister of Justice and Public Safety Flávio Dino said the ongoing investigations should result in new requests for preventive and temporary detention, mainly against the financiers.

National Unity

Head of the Supreme Court Rosa Weber also made a point of praising the presence of the governors in a gesture of democratic commitment to Brazil. "I am here, on behalf of the Supreme Court, thanking the initiative of the governors' forum to witness the national unity of a country that we all wish, defending our democracy and the democratic State of Law. A unity around the Brazil we want, peaceful, solidary and fraternal."

In another gesture of unity, after the meeting, President Lula, governors, and Supreme Court justices walked across the Square of the Three Powers to the headquarters of the Supreme Court, brutally destroyed yesterday. Justice Rosa Weber guaranteed the building will be ready for the reopening of the judicial year in February.