The star of Moro extinguished by struggles and internal pressures

In just two months, the image of the Minister of Justice and Security, one of the figures of the cabinet of Bolsonaro, has dissipated.

RIO DE JANEIRO.- Star of the operation Lava Jato, the
exjuez Sergio Moro entered the office of the Brazilian president,

Jair Bolsonaro

, as a guarantee of its unwavering commitment to corruption in politics. But with only two months as Minister of Justice and Security, the renowned ex-judge suffered a rapid erosion of his public image, a victim of missteps by the right-wing government, internal struggles and pressure from the government. President himself.

By appointing him to power, Bolsonaro called him a "super director", who would have "total freedom" of action in his region. The Brazilian President has come to clarify: "I will not interfere in everything that happens within the justice system, with regard to the fight against corruption, even if it has bothered anyone of my family in the future, this does not matter ".

However, in January, the first suspicions of corruption spread in the government, due to striking cash transactions by the president's eldest son, Flavio Bolsonaro, then a state deputy.

Rio de Janeiro

-with dubious links with the Carioca militias-and now a national senator. Moro avoided participating in the subject at any time, even without convincing official explanation.

"The president has already clarified, there are others who need clarification and if the facts are not clarified, we must investigate, but I can not badume this role, the Minister of Justice "It's not the person who intervenes in specific cases." said the former judge, while former supporters accused him of washing his hands in the face of the growing scandal that affected him as the Financial Activities Control Commission, which had warned about the transactions, was under his responsibility.

Moro has focused his attention on what should be his great letter of entry into the arena of public policy: a set of measures to fight corruption and organized crime. He designed it and showed it to the press early last month.

It included a section on the most effective and severe sanction against illegal financing of election campaigns (nicknamed "Box 2"), which he himself had recently described as "worse than illicit enrichment".

To the surprise of many, when, a few days later, the entire project was submitted for congressional approval, initiatives regarding the incrimination of "Box 2" were separated from other measures. And his explanation caused confusion.

"Initially, we were going to present a single project, there had been complaints, some politicians were uncomfortable with that. [la ?Caja 2′] treaty of corruption or organized crime. We were sensitive and we placed it separately. The government is responding to reasonable demands, "said Moro, after being convinced by some sectors of the Allied base that his intention to criminalize practices in" Box 2 "would go against the Legislators approval of the other measures against corruption and organized crime.

vices

The press and anti-corruption NGOs have intensified, accusing it of prematurely giving in to the vices of traditional politics. But the hardest blow to the once irreproachable reputation of the Brazilian exjuez came this week.

Last Wednesday, the Minister announced that he had invited the prestigious political scientist Ilona Szabó, executive director of the Institute Igarapé, specialist in public policy and the fight against crime, to be part of the National Council for Penal and Prison Policy (Cnpcp). Immediately, on social networks fell the criticism of fanatical followers of Bolsonaro – the
bolsominions, as they are called in Brazil, who pointed out that Szabó was a well-known opponent of the liberalization of arms, one of the flags defended by the president. They accused her of being an "enemy of the government" and an "extreme leftist activist who would seek to sabotage this administration from within."

Attentive to his virtual hosts, Bolsonaro ordered Moro to reconsider his decision. And the next day, Moro issued a statement in which he stressed that "given the negative repercussion on certain segments, it was decided to revoke the candidacy" of Szabó, even as he had pointed out the "relevant knowledge from Szabó in public security.

From the left – especially the Workers Party (PT), which has always denounced a "political hunt" of Moro against the group that would have been the judge who sentenced former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to a sentence of prison – they accused the minister of "cowardly" and "submissive".

But even among the sectors of the ideological center, which previously strongly supported Moro, they have now opposed their attitude, not to defend "democratic pluralism" and to be carried away by "intolerance" observed among some members of the Bolsonaro Government.

"Moro 's high prestige and expectations were very detrimental after these episodes, and he led a professional career as a judge that earned him his reputation as a relentless and independent. As a minister, he faces all these political demands that weaken him and they question his character, "he said.
THE NATION the badyst Paulo Calmon, professor of political science at the University of Brasilia.

Episodes that have eroded his image

Discomfort

• Moro, arrived as a "superminister", avoided engaging in an uncomfortable subject: the first suspicions of corruption that have infiltrated the government, canceling the cash transactions made by the eldest son of the president, Flavio Bolsonaro, then state deputy in Rio.

Package of measures

• Exjuez focused his attention on his big letter of introduction: a set of measures to fight against corruption and organized crime. However, initiatives related to the criminalization of illegal financing of election campaigns have been separated from other measures.

The opinions

• Moro was criticized by anti-corruption NGOs, who accused him of bowing to the vices of politics.