Today, a Supreme Court decision puts Bolsonaro’s back against the wall. São Paulo’s Germany office. And Brazil’s “vaccine capital.”
Institutional crisis in 3…2…1…
With over 15,000 coronavirus-related deaths confirmed since Monday, Supreme Court Justice Luís Roberto Barroso ordered Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco to launch a congressional hearings committee (CPI) to investigate the government’s pandemic response.
Context. Back in February, opposition senators gathered enough signatures to open a CPI, but the process can only move forward once Mr. Pacheco submits this request to the Senate floor — which he is not obligated to do. As we explained earlier this week, he had no intention of bringing the matter forward any time soon.
- “It is true that the [Senate] President has discretion over the agenda. However, that prerogative must not harm the constitutional right that one-third of senators have to create inquiry committees,” wrote Justice Barroso.
Word on the street. The decision left government allies fuming, calling it a hit job on the president and an improper interference of one government branch with another. Those who oppose President Jair Bolsonaro, meanwhile, celebrated the decision.
- Mr. Pacheco said he will respect the Supreme Court ruling and present the request to the floor...