The plenary of the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp) can vote, this Tuesday (14), to suspend the mandate of deputy Frederico D’Ávila (PSL-SP), who cursed Pope Francis during a speech last year, the Archbishop of Aparecida, Dom Orlando Brandes, and the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB).
The deputy has already had the temporary loss of mandate, for a period of three months, approved by the Alesp Ethics Council. However, the suspension will only take effect if there is approval by the plenary.
Since last month, five attempts have been made by São Paulo state deputies to vote on the suspension, but all have failed due to lack of a quorum. Alesp’s adviser informed the CNN that a new attempt can occur this Tuesday (14).
The advice of deputy Maria Lúcia Amary (PSDB-SP), who presides over the Ethics Council, explained to CNN that there are four types of punishments that can be applied: warning, censure, suspension or removal from office.
In the event of a warning or censure, the punishment is applied and the process ends with the approval within the Council. On the other hand, a suspension or revocation of mandate needs to be endorsed by the plenary of Alesp.
“In the case of Frederico, it is awaiting a vote in the plenary at this point. So the process is stopped, he is with the normal mandate”, explained the advisory.
remember the case
The Ethics Council of the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp) admitted, in November last year, the opening of nine representation processes, including five that dealt with offenses made by state deputy Frederico D’Ávila (PSL) to Pope Francis and to Catholic bishops.
On October 14 of last year, Frederico D’Ávila called the Archbishop of the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Dom Orlando Brandes, a “vagabundo”, due to a speech given on October 12, a national holiday in honor of the Catholic patron saint.
During the homily, the Archbishop stated that “to [o Brasil] being a beloved homeland cannot be an armed homeland.” The deputy repeated the passage before criticizing him.
“You hide behind your cassock to proselytize politically. The last thing you take care of is people’s spirituality, you bum, bastard, who submits to this bum pope too,” Frederico said during the speech.
The deputy also stated that the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) was a “cancer” that needed “to be extirpated from Brazil”.
The deputy’s speech caused discomfort to the religious, who demanded a position from the President of Parliament.
In a statement, the president of the House, Carlão Pignatari (PSDB-SP), apologized for Frederico D’Ávila’s speech, saying that the parliamentarian’s words “do not represent the opinion of the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo”.
Pignatari repudiated “any use of the word that goes beyond criticism and that constitutes attacks, extrapolating the limits of freedom of expression and parliamentary immunity, granted to elected public representatives.”
“On behalf of the Parliament of São Paulo, I ask for an express apology to Pope Francis and Bishop Orlando Brandes, Archbishop of Aparecida, to whom we extend our most unconditional solidarity. The word is not a weapon for destruction. She is a gift. It’s construction. Every state deputy has the duty to represent the people, listen to the people and enforce their commitment to São Paulo.”
Source: CNN Brasil
