Margarida Salomão requests that Heleno be heard in the Chamber regarding the threat of a coup.

By Denise Assis, for the Journalists for Democracy 

Federal Deputy Margarida Salomão (PT-MG) filed a "summons request" yesterday afternoon in the Chamber of Deputies for the Minister of the Institutional Security Office (GSI) of the Presidency of the Republic, Augusto Heleno, to provide clarifications regarding the note he published around 4 pm on Friday (May 21), in which he spoke of "unpredictable consequences for national stability".

The general's "initiative" was motivated by information that Supreme Court Justice Celso de Mello had requested the seizure of the cell phones of Bolsonaro and his son, Carlucho. Had Augusto Heleno bothered to do the work, he would have known that Justice Celso was merely fulfilling a legal and constitutional requirement by forwarding to the Attorney General's Office requests sent by deputies from the PSB, PDT, and PV parties, requesting the seizure of the devices.

The congresswoman's request is based on Article 50 of the Federal Constitution, and in accordance with Articles 117, II and 219, § 1, of the Internal Regulations. In her request, the congresswoman asks the Speaker of the House, Rodrigo Maia, to "take the necessary steps to summon the Minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet, Augusto Heleno, to provide clarifications regarding the note published and signed by said Minister."

And it points out the reasons: “He published a statement with a clear threat to the Democratic Rule of Law, the institutions established by the Federal Constitution, and the freedom of investigation of the Supreme Federal Court. In this sense, we understand that it is of fundamental importance that the Minister be summoned by the Chamber of Deputies to provide clarifications to the parliamentarians and the public regarding the content of the statement.”

Margarida Salomão's request joins the reactions of the president of the Brazilian Bar Association, Felipe Santa Cruz, who reacted on Twitter: “Democratic institutions reject the anachronism of your statement. Leave 64 behind and try to contribute to 2020, if you can. If you can't, #stayhome.” Several opposition politicians also protested against General Heleno's coup-mongering tone. Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP) promised a formal complaint against the head of the GSI and said that the minister's stance “is yet another reason for the impeachment request to proceed.”

On Thursday (May 21st) a group of parliamentarians from PT, PSOL, PCdoB, PSTU, PCB, PCO and UP, entities and social movements They filed a complaint against the president in the Chamber of Deputies..

Read Margarida Salomão's request below: