According to Vargas, Barbosa committed an illegal act.
According to the Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies, André Vargas (PT-PR), the President of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Joaquim Barbosa, committed an illegal act by ordering the arrest of 12 defendants even though appeals were still pending; the parliamentarian said he believes that the minister's colleagues on the Supreme Court will "put a stop to this insanity that is underway in the country"; for the deputy, AP 470 was a "political trial, marked by excessive media hype".
Paraná 247 – Minister Joaquim Barbosa, president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), committed an illegal act. This is the assessment of the vice-president of the Chamber of Deputies, André Vargas (PT-PR), expressed this Tuesday, the 19th, four days after the Court decreed the arrest of 12 defendants involved in the 'mensalão' (monthly allowance) scandal. The parliamentarian said he believes that Joaquim Barbosa's colleagues will "put a brake on this insanity that is underway in the country." For the deputy, Criminal Action 470 was a "political trial, marked by excessive media hype."
Among the main defendants whose arrests were ordered are former Chief of Staff José Dirceu, former PT treasurer Delúbio Soares, and former party president José Genoíno. Vargas rejected the Supreme Court's stance, arguing that the three defendants should not have been arrested, since there are still opportunities for appeals.
"We understand that the full Supreme Court will put a stop to this insanity that is underway in the country. I don't know if it's for political or personal gain, but the president of the Supreme Court is not acting within the bounds of legality. I've seen several columnists refuting Barbosa's stance," said the congressman. The statements were given to the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.
Given José Genoíno's serious health problems, who recently underwent heart surgery, Vargas argued that the former president of the PT should serve his sentence under house arrest and receive visits from his colleagues.
"It's a visit of solidarity with our colleagues who are going through a difficult time. It was a political trial, marked by excessive media attention, which is proven by the decree of imprisonment, someone whose case has not yet been definitively judged was imprisoned," he stated.
"PT has no spirit of revenge"
Following the arrest warrants for the 12 defendants, the "Tucano mensalão" scandal gained media attention, with allegations suggesting that the then-governor of Minas Gerais, Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB), benefited from public funds allocated to his reelection campaign, with the advertising executive and businessman Marcos Valério, also convicted in Criminal Action 470, acting as the main operator.
Amid the possibility of the Supreme Court judging the case in 2014, Vargas stated that the PT (Workers' Party) does not have a vengeful spirit. "We have no thirst for revenge. We desire a serene and balanced judgment, something the PT did not have," he said.