Panel SA: Unionists ask for the impeachment of Arthur do Val for sexist audio

The great trade unions gathered this weekend to raise the pressure for the removal of the mandate of state deputy Arthur do Val (Podemos), after the leak of audios in which he says that Ukrainian women victims of the war are “easy because they are poor “.

CUT, Força Sindical, UGT (General Union of Workers), CSB (Central of Unions of Brazil) and other centrals affirm that the real objective of the trip of Arthur do Val to the border of the country invaded by Russia has nothing to do with politics or action humanitarian. For trade unionists, he is a racist and misogynist personality, who is not prepared for the position in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo.

Known as Mamãe Falei, the deputy boarded last week saying that the objective was to talk to the Ukrainian population. The expedition had a political context of opposition to Bolsonaro’s position in the conflict.

“He, who in 2019, called unionists who were in the Alesp gallery a ‘bunch of vagabonds’! With what morals does Mamãe Falei talk about workers and their entities?”, says the group of union centrals in a joint statement.

They refer to the episode of the fight in the plenary with PT deputies because Mamãe Falei called unionists bums in the discussion of the Social Security reform in São Paulo at the time.

“In the month of March, when we celebrate the fight for women’s rights to equality, equity, respect, dignity and justice, a Brazilian deputy shames us internationally”, says the text.

“The deputy’s statements are disgusting. Everything becomes absolutely more deplorable when the targets are women in total vulnerability in a war zone. It’s amazing how these moralists behave in private, whether Moro rigging an investigation, Kim Kataguiri with his stupidity or , now with Arthur and his misogyny”, says Antonio Neto, president of CSB.

There are other movements in favor of cassation, such as the Ukrainian-Brazilian Central Representation. Deputy Isa Penna (PSOL-SP) has taken the lead in initiatives at Alesp.

After the negative repercussion of the case, this Saturday (5), the state deputy withdrew his candidacy for the Government of São Paulo by Podemos and apologized saying that it was “a mistake in a moment of excitement”.

Joana Cunha with Andressa Motter and Ana Paula Branco