Gleisi criticizes the choice of Derrite to report on the Anti-Faction Bill and says the text "shields organized crime."

247 - The Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann, harshly criticized the choice of Congressman Guilherme Derrite (PP-SP) as rapporteur for the anti-gang bill. In an interview with GloboNews, released this Monday (10), Gleisi stated that the appointment is “contaminated with the political issue” and represents an attempt to weaken the federal government’s actions in combating organized crime.

According to the minister, the decision by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), to appoint Derrite — the current Secretary of Public Security of São Paulo and an ally of Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos) — was a “political” choice that disrespects the Executive branch. “I spoke with President Hugo Motta on Friday. I told him that this would not be positive, that it would not be good. It would even sound disrespectful to the government, to the president himself, because it was a government project,” she reported.

Gleisi stated that the government did not require a rapporteur who was aligned with the president, but someone with a technical profile. "We didn't ask for a close ally, but a more neutral person who could conduct the discussion without being contaminated," she said. The minister countered Motta's argument that the choice fell on "the public security secretary of the largest state in the country." "I disagree with him. He appointed the security secretary of a governor who is openly opposed to the president, who intends to run for election, and already has a very determined political vision on the subject," she pointed out.

"Hasty" and politicized report

Derrite's report was delivered in just 24 hours, which, according to the government, reinforces the political nature of the report. Gleisi stated that the text contains "very serious problems" and "two major political decisions": equating criminal factions with terrorism and limiting the actions of the Federal Police.

The minister questioned Derrite's decision to propose changes to the Anti-Terrorism Law, instead of working on the government's draft bill to combat criminal factions. "If it wasn't meant to be equated [with terrorism], why not increase the penalty in the bill the government sent? We are not against increasing the penalty," she argued.

"Killer": restriction on the Federal Police

Gleisi's most forceful criticism is directed at the section of the report that imposes restrictions on the Federal Police's actions. The proposal stipulates that the Federal Police can only investigate criminal organizations if "provoked" by the state governor. "That, for me, is devastating: it removes the Federal Police from investigating criminal organizations," she declared.

She cited Operation Hidden Carbon as an example of the damage this limitation could cause. "According to Congressman Derrite's report, if it were already law, the Federal Police would have had to request authorization from the governor of São Paulo," she explained. Gleisi recalled that the operation, which has ramifications in Rio de Janeiro and investigates the Manguinhos refinery, was questioned by the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro (PL). "So imagine, do you think Governor Cláudio de Castro would authorize or ask the Federal Police to conduct an investigation?" she questioned.

According to the minister, the proposal represents "madness" that "will shield organized crime" by removing the institution with the greatest technical capacity and autonomy from the fight against crime. "The Federal Police is the one with the expertise to target the money launderers and catch the kingpins," she concluded.