Lira’s Party opposes Petrobras’ CPI and locks signatures

The PP, the party of Minister Ciro Nogueira (Casa Civil) and the Mayor, Arthur Lira (AL), took a position contrary to Petrobras’ CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry), defended by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

This stalled the necessary support for the opening of the investigation in the Chamber, which represents a setback for allies of the Palácio do Planalto, who hoped to obtain the minimum number of signatures necessary (171) to open the CPI this Wednesday (22).

Tied with the PT as the second largest bench in the Chamber, the PP has 56 deputies. Until the publication of this text, the bench had given only one signature to the CPI, that of the government leader in the House, Ricardo Barros (PR).

On Tuesday (21), Bolsonaro’s allies got 122 signatures. This Wednesday, there was little progress, with a balance indicating 134 support for the opening of the CPI.

According to government officials, the PP decided to counter Bolsonaro’s request to pressure the government to take the lead in discussions on proposals to reduce fuel prices and also to unlock the idea of ​​making the State-owned Companies Law more flexible.

The criticism is directed at Minister Paulo Guedes (Economy), who has tried to block measures such as an increase in taxation for Petrobras and the change in the rules for appointments and changes in the command of state-owned companies – as defended by Lira and other members of the PP.

Lira is an ally of Bolsonaro and agreed to open the CPI if the government manages to gather 171 signatures. However, allies of the Speaker of the House say he should not strive to achieve minimum support.

The leader of the PP in the Chamber, André Fufuca (MA), came to send a message on Tuesday to the deputies of the acronym so that they do not sign the request to open the investigation. Some party lawmakers complained, as they do not want to contradict Bolsonaro’s request. The party’s position was not changed on Wednesday.

The Republicans, another ruling party, have no formal guidance on supporting the CPI. The expectation is that bolsonaristas who migrated to the legend sign the request to meet Barros’ request.

Other important parties in the Chamber should not take an official position on the CPI. “Sign whoever wants to,” said the leader of União Brasil in the House, Elmar Nascimento (BA).

There is, therefore, a split in the governing base and the opposition continues to speak out against the installation of a CPI. Support for the investigation has focused on President Bolsonaro’s ideological group and his party.

Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP) believes that the CPI will be installed and that the investigation can be expanded to facts that occurred during the PT administration. “Let’s have a presence [na comissão]. It will be [um colegiado] center-right and right,” he said about how to keep tabs on the count.

However, given the PP’s position, some government leaders began to assess that the CPI will not even get off the ground. For allies of the Palácio do Planalto, the investigation, in the current scenario, depends on the change in posture of Guedes, who resists accepting the package of measures defended by the Chamber.

The plan to launch a truck driver aid and expand the Gas Aid, announced this Tuesday, is not considered sufficient by the Chamber’s summit.

Party leaders want to insist on changes to the State-owned Companies Law – one of the first approved under former president Michel Temer (MDB), in response to a series of investigations that pointed to malfeasance and political use of companies in previous administrations.

The purpose of the law was to strengthen the governance of state-owned companies and shield them from political interference.

The flexibilization of rules for state-owned companies has even the support of opposition parties. PT president, deputy Gleisi Hoffmann (PR), said this Wednesday that the law “criminalizes politics”.

An articulation is underway so that there is a vast majority in the Chamber to make some points more flexible, such as criteria for appointing members of the boards and directors of public companies.

Lira even publicly defended that the government support changes in the State-Owned Companies Law and that it send an MP (provisional measure) on the matter. An MP takes effect immediately.

In addition, the top of the Chamber wants the proposal to originate from the government – ​​the strategy is to prevent Guedes from working against any project of parliamentary origin to make the rules more flexible.

Center leaders still want to pressure the government to present the proposal. But they also do not rule out starting the discussion of changing the law on state-owned companies in a project that is already in the Chamber and, therefore, would have the support of parties of different flags.