A businessman in the agricultural sector in western Bahia claimed to have forced his employees to film the vote in the first round of the presidential elections and to have fired those who refused to vote for Jair Bolsonaro (PL), according to an inquiry by the MPT (Public Ministry of Labour) of State.
According to the MPT of Bahia, the alleged electoral harassment came from businessman Adelar Eloi Lutz, a gaucho living in the state for more than 30 years and owner of rural properties in Formosa do Rio Preto (756 km from Salvador), and was recorded in audio that circulated in messaging applications.
Thiana Brandão, the businessman’s lawyer, told Sheet that the information contained in the inquiry “is not valid” and that Adelar Eloi Lutz will present his defense within the deadline granted by the MPT. She did not want to clarify whether what is not correct is that the audios are by Lutz or that he actually did what the recordings attributed to him say.
The report also contacted Adelar this Tuesday, but he did not answer calls or respond to messages.
In the audios contained in the inquiry, the Bolsonarista rural producer defends that other entrepreneurs pressure their employees to vote according to the bosses’ guidance and that “put out” those who refuse, according to the MPT.
In recordings attributed to Lutz — and heard by Sheet—, he also claims that he fired workers who did not vote for Bolsonaro and that he oriented workers to even use “cell phones in their bra” to illegally film the vote and prove that they voted according to his imposition.
“Me too at home, what was [votando em outros candidatos]I took it already [demitiu]. She was five, two turned back. And of the other ten who were helping on the street, everyone had to prove it, they filmed the election”, says the audio.
In the sequence, it gives details of coercion of employees: “[Disse] turns around, puts her cell phone in her bra, whatever. Go film, if not on the street. They filmed and proved they voted.”
The voice on the recordings also claims that two employees who did not want to vote for Bolsonaro were fired and now made promises to vote for the president in the second round in exchange for rehiring.
“Today they are saying ‘I’m going to vote for Bolsonaro now’. [Eu disse] vote first, taste and I’ll give you service. Otherwise, no.”
In August, the TSE (Superior Electoral Court) approved new rules on the ban on cell phone entry into voting booths. By rule, voters who refuse to leave their equipment with the polling station cannot vote. Also, the police will be called.
The Elections Law already vetoed the use of the device at the time of voting, but the text of the rule allowed the voter to carry the cell phone turned off in his pocket, for example. The Court reinforced the measure to avoid doubts and to repress the violation of the secrecy of the vote and the coercion of the voter.
The same audio attributed to Adelar Eloi Lutz still calls on other businessmen to “make threats” in markets in Formosa do Rio Preto, indicating that there would be pressure on small traders in the region.
“Even though we don’t buy a lot from them, our employees buy in the market. [Tem que] play it in the street, I already had it played in about ten groups in Formosa [do Rio Preto]”.
The Public Ministry of Labor of Bahia opened an investigation on Monday (18) to investigate the case and gave two days for the defense of the businessman to manifest. The agency also issued a recommendation that he immediately suspend the illegal practices.
Attorney Carolina Ribeiro, who is working on the case, also sent a letter to the Electoral Public Prosecutor’s Office with the report of the facts so that it can also adopt the appropriate measures.
The MPT also informed that it is already preparing a model for a term of adjustment of conduct to be presented to the author of the illegal statements so that it can be negotiated at the first hearing.
Suspect has already been the target of action for irregular pro-Bolsonaro propaganda
A well-known bolsonarista in the western region of Bahia, Adelar Eloi Lutz is also the target of action by the Public Ministry of the State of Bahia for irregular electoral propaganda, with the installation of billboards with the name and slogan of Jair Bolsonaro in Formosa do Rio Preto.
The Justice accepted the prosecutor’s request this Monday (17) and ordered the removal of irregular advertisements. Adelar’s defense said the billboards were dismantled.
This is the second case of electoral harassment in western Bahia investigated in this election by the Public Ministry of Labor.
In September, a businesswoman in the agricultural sector working in the city of Luís Eduardo Magalhães called on a social network for other businessmen to fire employees who would vote for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).
“I wanted to say something to our farmers: do a survey, who will vote for Lula and fire them. Fire them mercilessly because it’s not a matter of politics, it’s a matter of survival. Lula, please, leave too,” said businesswoman Roseli Vitória Martelli D’Agostini Lins in the video.
She signed an agreement with the Public Ministry of Labor, made a retraction and funded communication campaigns against electoral harassment in Bahia.
Another six cases are also under analysis by the agency, which counts nine complaints of electoral harassment in Bahia alone.
In the country this number reached this Tuesday the mark of 428 cases, more than double the last presidential election, when 212 cases were registered. This year, most cases happened in the second round.
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