Prosecutor-general seeks probe into rally against Congress, top court

Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Augusto Aras requested the Supreme Court to open an inquiry into a possible violation of the National Security Law in the Sunday rallies (Apr. 19) that called for a military intervention and the shutdown of Congress and the Supreme Court itself.

“The Brazilian state accepts one ideology only, which is that of the participatory democratic regime. Any assault on democracy is an affront to the Constitution and the National Security Law,” Aras is quoted as saying by a note released by his office early this afternoon.

According to the text, the Prosecutor-General’s Office should ascertain whether a crime was committed by the citizens and the federal representatives who organized the demonstration. The matter has been taken to the top court as Congress members are likely to be involved, Aras pointed out.

Rallies

On Sunday, a number of protests were staged across the country. Among the demands were the request to reopen businesses and the end of social isolation measures introduced as a result of the pandemic of the new coronavirus. In the demonstration held in Brasília, which had an address by President Jair Bolsonaro, calls were seen for the shutdown of Congress and the Supreme Court, as well as the return of the Institutional Act 5—also referred to as AI-5, used in the military regime to punish dissidents and oust Congress members. The messages prompted outrage among lawmakers, court justices and civil institutions.