The investigation into the large-scale operation in the Peña and Alemán complexes on October 28 has been the subject of clashes between representatives of Rio de Janeiro’s Public Ministry (MPRJ), the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and the Public Defender’s Office. Through the letter, the two agencies primarily discuss investigative responsibilities related to police lethality and other ADPF 635 determinations. On Thursday, Rio’s Attorney General Antonio José Campos Moreira said he was outraged by the statements of other institutions, accusing them of acting based on ideological and political bias. MPF called Moreira’s speech “aggressive” and stressed that the public defender’s office is committed to “skilled, autonomous and independent action.”
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In a speech to the National Assembly, Moreira wrote to ADPF rapporteur Minister Alexandre de Moraes before the public demonstration, stating that the MPF’s efforts to investigate and hold accountable police officers for human rights abuses are “a clear violation of the authority of judges,” as this investigation is the exclusive domain of the MPRJ.
During his speech in Congress, Mr. Moreira criticized the MPF, Deputy Attorney General of the Republic Nicolao Dino, and the Office of the Public Defender.
— The Ministry of Public Security is made up of prosecutors, not political activists or extremists. And we, the Brazilian Ministry of Public Affairs, must respect the obligations of others. I say this because, with great embarrassment and indignation, I received the following article from the Media Office: “The Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Nicolao Dino, has signed a bill establishing procedures to investigate human rights violations within the so-called ADPF das Favelas and to hold police officers accountable.” In other words, this citizen, who is not involved in the Ministry of Public Affairs at all, but rather seems to me to be passionate about his own ideology, intends to demoralize the Ministry of Public Affairs in the state of Rio de Janeiro. (…) Another problem is that we cannot disclose any of our work to the public defender’s office. Today, the National Election Commission is a political department that does not fulfill its constitutional mandate and wants to become an ideological public ministry.
- Civilian police had to reschedule a large-scale operation in Penha Because the access the agents would have used had been walled off by drug traffickers.
This Friday, the Attorney General of the Republic Paulo Gustavo Gone Blanco, who is attached to the MPF, sent another letter to Minister Alexandre de Moraes, clarifying the agency’s intentions regarding the investigation of the mega operation. His first statement was that “the procedures put in place are not intended to exercise external control of police activity, as falsely promoted by MPRJ.” He further clarified that “in reality, this is a procedure aimed at monitoring the implementation of the determined measures and guidelines laid down in the aforementioned ADPF, taking into account the international obligations assumed by the Brazilian State prior to the Inter-American Human Rights System.”
Mr. Gone also clarified that it is not in the interest of the MPF to confuse its responsibilities with those of the MPRJ, particularly in relation to external control of police activities. In a public statement, Mr. Dino called Mr. Moreira’s comments “offensive” and doubled down on his claims, also stressing that his actions “are lawful, resolute, and independent of the Ministry of Public Affairs, especially when it comes to the promotion and protection of human rights and the defense of the values that underpin the democratic rule of law.”
In the run-up to G1, the Rio Public Defender’s Office reaffirmed its determination to act technically, autonomously and independently, based on legality and the protection of the rights of vulnerable people. The organization said any statements to the contrary do not reflect the serious commitment made by its members.
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