Band-aids, chains, coffee, and even a baby: see what the 30-plus hours of obstruction in Congress were like

8:23

BRASÍLIA – President Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB) decided to indicate the punishment of removal from office for up to six months for deputies Marcos Pollon (PL-MS), Zé Trovão (PL-SC), Júlia Zanatta (PL-SC), Marcel van Hattem (Novo-RS) and Camila Jara (PT-MS).

All decisions were made due to the turmoil this week, when Bolsonaro supporters decided to prevent the start of the Chamber session by occupying the plenary's Board of Directors.

The decision still needs to be reviewed by the Ethics Committee, which is expected to happen in the coming days. According to a statement from the General Secretariat of the Board, all complaints about conduct during the riot were forwarded to the Parliamentary Oversight Board. The oversight board, Congressman Diego Coronel (PSD-BA), is scheduled to meet with Motta on Monday the 11th.

A letter sent by PT, PSB and PSOL, calling for the suspension of five parliamentarians , kicked off the representations.

Some of these names were already under consideration by Motta — at least for now, Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP) should be spared and will not be removed from office. A Workers' Party member was added to the list of those sanctioned.

Camila Jara was accused by Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) of pushing him during the commotion to regain control of the chamber. The Workers' Party congresswoman denies any assault. In a statement, the congresswoman's office stated that there was a"shoving and shoving" going on in the chamber and that she pushed Nikolas away, who may have lost his balance.

The PL filed a complaint against Camila Jara this Friday, claiming that Jara's blow caused intense pain to Nikolas."The blow was not mild, as Federal Deputy Nikolas Ferreira fell to the ground due to the intensity of the pain, and was immediately assisted by three legislative police officers," the complaint states."The defendant did not even provide assistance to Deputy Nikolas Ferreira. On the contrary, the defendant, in a cold, selfish, and arrogant manner, simply watched the victim lying on the ground, while the legislative police officers helped him to his feet, without taking any action to help him."

The Workers' Party leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Lindbergh Farias (RJ), protested the decision."The attempt to remove the deputy to create a false equivalence or impartiality and force the idea of punishment on 'both sides' is absurd," he said."Punishing Camila Jara is punishing someone who resisted the coup and defended the Chamber's right to function."

Representative Julia Zanatta commented on the decision in a video posted alongside her four-month-old daughter."Now they want to suspend my mandate, which means leaving me without pay for six months and all my other salaries. It's not enough; they just want to stop me from breastfeeding and being a mother. They also want to stop me from working," she stated.

During the riot, Zanatta sat on the Chamber's Executive Board while carrying a four-month-old baby. The Workers' Party (PT) filed a complaint against her, claiming she used the child as a"shield."

“Even if there is any type of prevarication through the allegation of breastfeeding, the exceptional context of abnormality, instability and institutional confrontation, encouraged by the represented and its political group, makes the presence and, above all, the use of the child as a “shield” inappropriate, especially in an environment that goes beyond the parliamentary sphere and takes on a symbolic and coercive character,” says the text of the document.

As reported by Estadão, Pollon was the last one standing and was the one who had to give up the presidency of the Chamber of Deputies so Motta could resume work. Days earlier, at a protest in Mato Grosso do Sul, he called the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies"shit" and "a short guy, 1.60m tall" . Motta is 1.80m tall.

In their complaint, the left-wing parties claim that Zé Trovão attempted to physically prevent Motta from returning to the Board of Directors."Freedom of parliamentary expression does not encompass the right to physically impede the legitimate exercise of public office," the document states. The parliamentarian's office said it will await notification to comment.

When contacted, Van Hattem, Pollon and Jara have not yet responded to the reporter's contacts.

The Ethics Committee is expected to have a busy week. In addition to all the complaints about the confusion that paralyzed the Chamber's proceedings this week, other complaints already submitted to the Board of Directors regarding other members of Congress, such as Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), who is in the United States, are expected to finally reach the committee. A request for Eduardo's suspension and impeachment have already been filed.

People familiar with the proceedings in the Chamber estimate that more than 20 representations are expected to reach the Council.