Planalto tries to help Cunha save his mandate.

247 - Members of Michel Temer's (PMDB) interim government acted decisively to try to save the mandate of Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), who was removed from the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies by the Supreme Federal Court (STF), which is judging him for the crimes of corruption and money laundering.

Cunha is the target of an impeachment process in the Chamber of Deputies' Ethics Committee. In recent days, members of the Presidential Palace suggested to the congressman that he resign from the presidency of the House in order to save his mandate, reported journalist Andréia Sadi of Globonews on Twitter on Wednesday night, the 8th.

According to her, the suggestion had been made at least three times by the Presidential Palace, which warned the PMDB member that the atmosphere in the Chamber's plenary session "would be tense if the presidency of the Chamber were not at stake." However, all proposals were rejected by the congressman, according to these government sources.

On Tuesday, columnist Alex Solnik of 247 highlighted the interim government's actions to save Cunha. He recalled that the vote on the report requesting Cunha's removal from office in the Ethics Committee was scheduled for Tuesday, when Representative Tia Eron (PRB-BA), whose vote is crucial in the process, was expected to appear.

Neither Tia Eron attended, nor did the vote take place. It was even postponed to this Wednesday, at the request of the rapporteur, Marcos Rogério (DEM-TO), but was suspended by the president of the committee, deputy José Carlos Araújo, who did not set another date. Tia Eron spoke out after the controversial absence, saying that she 'did not run away' and that she will not shirk her duty.

When questioned by journalists yesterday about the matter, the Chief of Staff, Eliseu Padilha, denied that there is any government interference in the proceedings against Cunha. "The independence between the branches of government means that this question cannot be answered by the government, but rather by the Legislative branch." He added: "Government interference is zero."

"The interest today is that institutions function, and the Chamber of Deputies is functioning normally. The question of whether or not to limit the actions of Deputy Eduardo Cunha is first a matter for the Legislative branch, then for the Judicial branch. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Executive branch," he further stated in a press conference.

On Thursday morning, representatives from the four parties that opposed the Dilma government and joined Temer — PSDB, DEM, PSB, and PPS — will express, in a meeting with the interim president, their discomfort with the Planalto's actions in trying to save Cunha's mandate, burying the opinion that calls for the deputy's expulsion in the Ethics Council.

The leaders requested a meeting "as soon as possible" to clarify whether the interim government was indeed acting in favor of the suspended Speaker of the House, following press reports. Deputy Pauderney Avelino (AM), leader of the DEM party, reported a climate of distrust towards the Presidential Palace due to the alleged operation.

A strong piece of evidence supporting this theory was the meeting held last Monday between Padilha and Minister Marcos Pereira (Industry), president of the PRB party, the party of congresswoman Tia Eron. Congressman Alessandro Molon (Rede-RJ) also warned of a possible meeting that may have taken place between Michel Temer himself and Marcos Pereira.