Temer's defense: the technique of shouting "catch the thief"

Michel Temer's defense brief, signed by lawyer Eduardo Carnelós, is destined to rank among the most cynical documents in history. It focuses less on contesting the merits of the double accusation of forming a criminal organization and obstruction of justice, and much more on vilifying its author, the former Attorney General of the Republic. With the bravado of cowards, since Janot is no longer in office and will not have the right to speak during the proceedings in the Chamber of Deputies, the defense accuses him of plotting a coup, attempting to depose Temer with a "scheme," for which he allied himself with the "private accomplices" of JBS, subtly suggesting that he shared the gains obtained in the financial market by the whistleblowers from the leak of their testimony. "But this game is well-known. Temer uses the technique of a thief who, when caught, shouts 'catch the thief' to mislead the crowd," summarizes Congressman Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP).

Given all that has come to light about Temer recently, Carnelós asserts that the accusation is "an absolutely fabricated piece, based on forged evidence, made with the clear and even undisguised objective of deposing the President of the Republic, thus constituting an attempted coup in Brazil." Temer is the saint, and Janot, "the archer who shot against the rule of law." After the blunders committed in the JBS plea bargain and the suspicions weighing on former prosecutor Marcello Miller, Temer shouts "catch the thief!" and escapes, offering his shock troops the speech they will brandish to justify yet another acquittal.

A clever technique, despite its cynicism. But the author himself, in a reference to Janot, uses a popular saying that perfectly suits Temer: "Too much cleverness turns into a beast and devours its owner." Temer may retain his mandate, but he will reach the end devoured by discredit, as the most rejected president in history, mocked even by bank robbers, as in the video that went viral on the internet yesterday. And after his term ends, he will have to settle accounts with Justice.

Although he called Janot "Iscariot," Temer's defense also serves to confirm, once again, his scorpion-like nature. Criticizing the damage that the two accusations allegedly caused to Brazil, the text states: "Yes, because the scheme was launched against the President of the Republic at a time when the national economy was beginning to show signs of recovery, after years of suffering the effects of the crisis manufactured by the two previous leaders, and important reforms were being voted on and approved by the National Congress."

In this indirect reference to Lula and Dilma, there is no mention of the fact that Temer was the guarantor of an alliance, and that his party occupied important positions in both governments, with him later becoming Dilma's vice-president, whom he betrayed to take the presidency. Lula, from being the promoter of the most important cycle of inclusive growth in recent decades—a merit no one denies him—is transformed into the architect of the recession that Temer and Meirelles brought to its extreme. 

It is also clear that Temer is "on good terms" with Eduardo Cunha, whose recent interview with IstoÉ magazine was used extensively in an effort to demonstrate that Janot held a "bidding process" for plea bargains, opting for Lúcio Funaro's because, unlike Cunha, he was willing to contribute to Temer's downfall. It is telling that Cunha gave an interview while the defense brief was being written.

With Temer's cry of "catch the thief," we are truly entering the world of magical realism. It is no coincidence that the author resorts to Gabriel Garcia Marquez to title one of the chapters of his diatribe, in which he accuses more than he defends.