Absent from a meeting, Zema demands more action from Lula and less debate on security
The governor of Minas Gerais, Romeu Zema (New)criticized the administration of the president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT)in a video published last Saturday (2), on social media, and stated that he has seen a government that is not committed to “fighting crime”.
The head of the Minas Gerais Executive refused Lula’s invitation to the meeting of governors to discuss the Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that intends to change the structure of public security that took place on Thursday (31).
“What we have seen is a government that has sought to debate crime and not combat crime. For this very reason, I didn’t go to Brasília this last Thursday. I was there on March 26th, together with the governors of the South and Southeast, bringing concrete proposals that serve to combat crime. We have had no response after seven months. We have to start by doing the basics. The basic thing is to put those who are criminals here in Brazil behind bars,” said Zema, in a video published on Instagram.
Upon being invited by Palácio do Planalto to the new meeting last week, Zema sent a letter to the Presidency to justify his absence, saying that the meeting would only be a moment for “political speeches”.
“I look forward to more objective progress, with the presentation of a proposal in advance to the governors, so that we can study and prepare for a constructive meeting with concrete directions”, he stated.
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The governor of Minas Gerais also said that the states that are part of the South and Southeast Integration Consortium (Cosud) are already debating the issue and created the “Regional Pact for Public Security and Combating Organized Crime”. In the document, Zema had already complained about the lack of response from the Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski, to the points presented by the group.
In a note released after Zema’s letter, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security said that it values dialogue with federal entities. “The minister made himself available to the governors to continue discussing measures that could improve the public security system”, informed the ministry.
Borders
Another point highlighted by Zema in the video posted on social media is the control of weapons that enter the country’s borders. According to the governor of Minas Gerais, the federal government “instead of worrying too much about the states” should “be more concerned about the borders”.
“We also want the federal government, instead of worrying too much about the states, to worry more about the borders. It is through them that drugs and illegal weapons that are used by organized crime enter. You should start worrying about organizing your own home”, he criticized.
(With Estadão Content)
