The opening of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the Brazilian Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) took place this Tuesday (23) and walked between hysteria and nonsense, confirming its vocation for circus and allegory.
With a large majority of parliamentarians from the far-right wing, the Commission of Inquiry saw its main subject, the MST, disappear on several occasions, with deputies insisting on theories that had already been denied and outdated, with provocations against the government and the landless workers.
The opposition, which seems to have abandoned its interest in the Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on the coup acts of January 8, is showing signs that it will concentrate forces on the Commission of Inquiry on the MST, to try to overshadow any positive government agenda or broader debates about the country’s direction.
Among the 27 members of the commission, 20 are part of the opposition bloc to the federal government, a number that will allow the right-wing to maneuver the Commission’s course and its narratives.
Agenda
CPI meetings will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It was expected that on Tuesday (23) some of the 37 requirements for summoning deponents would be approved, which did not happen.
On Wednesday (24) the Commission of Inquiry rejected three requests from the government base, a minority in the commission, which would provide the public with information on the outstanding debt, financing and environmental fines of companies linked to agribusiness.
The turned down requests angered the government base. “It is important for this Commission to be open to seeing all sides. If the vote takes place now, as happened in the previous [application], coexistence becomes difficult, because it demonstrates that there is no interest in truly discussing the challenges of agriculture and the land issue. It will be a Commission of Inquiry to attack an idea”, said federal deputy Nilton Tatto (Workers' Party [PT]).
Valmir Assumpção (Workers' Party) also criticized the Bolsonarist obstruction. “I am very worried. I was thinking that this committee would actually do an investigation, with transparency, but I am concerned about the rejected applications. Most here want to do exactly like in the election of the board of directors, they just want to go over everything.”
“Why the fear that the opposition may know information from the Ministry of Finance regarding credits obtained through the National Credit System? Why the fear of learning from the Ministry of Agriculture about the release of credit to finance agribusiness events?” asked Federal Deputy Paulão (Workers' Party).
Among the approved requests are the invitations for Carlos Fávaro and Paulo Teixeira, ministers of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, to be invited to give testimony about the occupations carried out by the social movement. Invitations can be declined. Only summons must be compulsorily accepted.
The opposition parliamentarians also approved the request addressed to the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra), for the agency to deliver all the documents on the holding of the Agrarian Reform Fair, which took place in May this year, in São Paulo (SP).
Deputy Sâmia Bomfim (Socialism and Freedom Party) responded to Bolsonarists. “Some data from the fair: 320,000 people participated, 560 tons of products, 191 cooperatives, 38 tons of donations for people who are hungry in Brazil, 1,730 types of products, 1,700 vendors, 412 artists, 20,000 tree seedlings, 850 kg of food, 30 kitchens, 95 typical dishes and 80,000 meals. It was an event of the highest magnitude”, explained the parliamentarian.
Other requirements
The Commission of Inquiry on the MST also approved invitations for Ivan Xavier and Nelcilene Ramos, former campers; Raul Jungmann, former Minister of Agrarian Development; and Luana Carvalho, from the MST’s National Directorate, to give testimony to the commission.
The parliamentarians also approved the carrying out of a technical visit by the members of the Commission, with a charge for the Chamber of Deputies, to investigate the sites occupied by the MST.
Edited by: Flávia Chacon
