Florestan: Dilma may be in Moro's sights.

247 - Journalist Florestan Fernandes Júnior, a member of Journalists for Democracy, commented on the arrest of former president Michel Temer this Thursday, the 21st, for alleged bribes in the construction of the Angra 3 nuclear power plant, by order of Judge Marcelo Bretas, from the Lava Jato operation in Rio de Janeiro. 

According to Florestan, Temer's arrest may indicate that the deposed president's freedom could be at risk. "Dilma Rousseff may be in Sérgio Moro's sights and risks being arrested at any moment, depending on the political convenience of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office and the current Minister of Justice. It's the Republic of Curitiba targeting the presidential palace," says the journalist. 

Read the full text of Florestan's article below:

After Lava Jato comes the deluge.

By Florestan Fernandes Júnior, for Journalists for Democracy - One day in the future we will have detailed information about Operation Lava Jato, the dismantling of construction companies and Petrobras, the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, and the conviction and imprisonment of Lula without any material evidence. We will also know who was behind Bolsonaro's campaign, the clan's connections with the militias in Rio de Janeiro, and the fake news industry that took over the cell phones of ordinary people in the evangelical church.

Perhaps much of this story will be revealed in 40 years when the secrets of the Obama and Trump administrations are lifted. Perhaps on the day that some prosecutor from Deltan Dallagnol's group, upset at being left out of details of the plea bargain industry and the 2,5 billion reais from Petrobras that would have funded a private NGO linked to the Curitiba prosecutors themselves, will come forward. To paraphrase Chico Buarque, this day will come sooner than they think. In the same week that he was in the United States, even visiting the CIA, the world's largest espionage center, the father of Lava Jato and current Minister of Justice saw his subordinates open yet another investigation without evidence against Lula and one of his sons.

Today, his colleague from Lava Jato, Judge Marcelo Bretas, arrested two former prominent figures of the Republic: the former coup-installed president, Michel Temer, and his former minister, Moreira Franco, who is none other than the father-in-law of Rodrigo Maia, who has been at odds with Moro since the beginning of the week. I know that the pair who were arrested have a lot to explain about the accusations against them. But why arrest them without even taking their statements? How can you arrest a former president without trial and without a sentence? How long will the constituted powers accept arbitrary and sensationalist arrests like those of this afternoon, when once again the press was informed of the actions before the suspects?

For me, it's the old media scheme that has been working well since 2013 and served to strengthen Lava Jato! Incidentally, former President Dilma should watch out, as she may be next in Moro's sights. Her case is in Brasília in the hands of Judge Vallisney de Souza Oliveira, who is said to be as vain and boastful as Marcelo Bretas. Lava Jato already has plea bargains without evidence against her. It's at least embarrassing to see Moro in a government surrounded by ministers accused of illegal campaign financing, taking public campaign money through front men, and living peacefully with the president's sons who admire and even decorated militiamen.

Senator Flávio Bolsonaro faces charges of diverting part of his parliamentary aides' salaries through a scheme orchestrated by his former driver, Fabrício Queiroz, who has yet to personally appear to give explanations to the Public Prosecutor's Office. Ultimately, what lies behind this selective fight against corruption? Bolsonaro should be careful; he could soon be the next president on Moro's list. There is no shortage of evidence of wrongdoing. The problem now is that the country is at a standstill, unemployment is rising, and the economy is not advancing. The pension reform has been shelved. The prestige of the three branches of government is plummeting. I'm no magician, but I imagine our democracy is at serious risk right now.