Despite the majority, the vote in the Chamber of Caxias do Sul does not reach the minimum necessary to remove Sandro Fantinel, who has made biased statements commenting on cases of work similar to slavery in the cellars. The Chamber of Councilors of Caxias do Sul voted it down this Tuesday ( 16/05) the request for revocation of the mandate of councilor Sandro Fantinel (non-party), accused of having violated parliamentary decorum after making a speech with xenophobic statements against Bahians.
In February, commenting on the case in which 207 workers were rescued in a situation similar to slavery in the municipality of Bento Gonçalves, the councilor asked that the producers of the region “no longer hire those people from above”, referring to the workers of the North East.
Most of the rescued workers traveled from the northeast to Rio Grande do Sul to work in the grape harvest in the Serra Gaúcha region. The rescue took place on February 22nd. The councilor’s statements to the Chamber of Caxias do Sul rostrum came six days later, on February 28.
Fantinel stated at the time that “the only culture that Bahians have is living on the beach playing the drums”. He suggested producers give preference to hiring employees from Argentina, who, he said, would be “clean, hardworking and fair.”
Defending himself in the cassation process, Fantinel said he was thrilled when he released the statement against the Bahians. He apologized and argued that impeachment would be “an extreme and disproportionate response”.
Protesters against and in favor of the impeachment filled the gallery of the Chamber, where a security scheme was set up with the reinforcement of agents of the Military Brigade and the Municipal Guard.
The cassation request received 13 votes in favor and 9 against, with only one abstention, from Fantinel himself, in a session that lasted over four hours. Despite the majority, the statute of the Chamber of Caxias do Sul establishes that two-thirds of the votes, which correspond to 16 votes, are required for the forfeiture of the mandate.
“I have no malice”
During the vote, Fantinel apologized for his statements. “We have to take a big hit to change. Radical ideology is no longer a part of my life in this house. I have not killed anyone, I have not raped anyone, I have not deviated and I have not mistreated anyone. There are people who have and today he is forgiven,” he said.
“I apologize, as I said, to all the Baianos, from the bottom of my heart. I have no malice, the words were not intended to offend,” said the commissioner.
The president of the Chamber of Councilors of Caxias do Sul, Zé Dambrós (PSB), who voted in favor of the impeachment, said he will accept the decision adopted in the plenary. “In a vote the majority decides, the plenary is sovereign. The non-cassation of councilor Sandro Fantinel was the result defined by the majority of the plenary, and it was up to us to accept, even not to agree, as I expressed in my vote, “he said.
The case prompted Fantinel’s Patriot party to expel him. His statements were condemned by the governors of Rio Grande do Sul, Eduardo Leite (PSDB), and of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues (PT).
rc/cn (ots)
Source: Terra
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