Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), ordered this Monday (31) that the government immediately adopt “all necessary and sufficient measures” to clear the roads occupied by Bolsonaristas in protest of the election result.
In case of non-compliance, it determines a fine and even removal and arrest in the act of the director general of the PRF (Federal Highway Police), Silvinei Vasques, for the crime of disobedience, in addition to a fine of R$ 100 thousand per hour from midnight. – Tuesday night (1st).
According to the minister, there has been “omission and inertia” by the PRF in clearing the roads. Moraes also determines that the Federal Highway Police and the Military Police identify any trucks used in the roadblocks and report them to the Justice, so that a fine of R$ 100,000 per hour is imposed on the owners.
Sought by the report after the decision, the PRF said that the director-general’s order is to clear all blockages as soon as possible, that there has never been a contrary determination and that the corporation is working to clear all federal highways by this Tuesday.
“At no time did we have the determination not to demobilize the demonstrations. From the beginning, we have been working tirelessly to clear all points with blockages on federal highways. And the order of our director general is for us to clear all points as soon as possible possible, immediately”, said the general coordinator of communication of the PRF, Cristiano Vasconcellos.
The request to the Supreme Court was made by the CNT (National Confederation of Transport). The confederation requested that the STF authorize the government to adopt the same measures against the 2018 truck drivers’ strike. At the time, the decision was taken after action by the Michel Temer government (MDB).
Earlier, the CNT stated in a statement that it is against “this type of intervention” on highways, and that it respects the right of every citizen to demonstrate, as long as it does not harm people’s right to come and go.
“In addition to economic upheavals, stoppages create difficulties for people to move, including the sick, in addition to making it difficult for the population to transport essential products, such as food, medicines and fuel.”
In this Monday’s decision, Moraes says that the roads must be cleared “with the protection of order in the surroundings and, above all, the safety of pedestrians, drivers, passengers and the participants of the movement”.
They must also be prevented, “including on the shoulders, the occupation, obstruction or imposition of difficulty in the passage of vehicles in any stretches of the highways”, with “a guarantee of total trafficability”.
In justifying the determination, the minister states that the current situation “clearly reveals a scenario in which the abuse and illicit and criminal distortion in the exercise of the constitutional right to assembly has had a disproportionate and intolerable effect on the rest of society”.
Moraes then cites the difficulty of the distribution chains of products and services due to the blockages, “for the maintenance of the most essential and basic aspects of social life”.
“Although the exercise of police power is the responsibility of several of Organs public bodies involved, such as the Federal Highway Police and Military Police, which would allow them to use the necessary effort for the free movement of goods and people is also undeniable ( …) that the PRF has not been carrying out its constitutional and legal task,” he added.
The president of the STF, Minister Rosa Weber, scheduled a virtual plenary session of the court for a referendum on Moraes’ decision this Tuesday (1⁰). By the end of the day, the 11 ministers will decide whether to maintain or overturn the determination.
Since the victory of President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), supporters of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), including truck drivers, have been blocking or crowding roads in states and the Federal District, according to the PRF. Protesters call for a coup.
The PRF recorded this Monday, until the end of the night, 321 points of blockages or agglomerations on roads in 25 states and in the Federal District.
As a precaution, the Military Police of the Federal District blocked part of the Esplanada dos Ministérios, in Brasília. The region comprises the Praça dos Três Poderes, where the National Congress, the Planalto Palace and the STF are located.
The PRF, however, did not act on the blocks. In a video to which the Sheet had access, PRF agents say the order is just to remain in place. “The only thing I have to say right now is that the only order we have is to be here with you, that’s all,” said a policeman who was following a roadblock in Palhoça (SC).
In another video, a police officer in Rio do Sul (SC) said he would be there to monitor the demonstration, but would not issue any fines. “Another commitment that I make with you here, no vehicle that is here at the demonstration will be the subject of any notification. I will not issue any fines”, said the policeman, being applauded afterwards.
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