In a committee in the Chamber, the Minister of Justice avoids answering about Ramagem

The Minister of Justice, Wellington César Lima e Silva, appeared this Wednesday morning (27) before the Foreign Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to talk about international cooperation surrounding the arrest of former federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem in the United States.

During the session, the minister deviated from the conversation when answering questions asked by congressmen specifically about Ramagem.

Lima e Silva was summoned by the collegiate to explain the international cooperation surrounding the arrest of the former deputy, as well as the expulsion of PF (Federal Police) delegate Marcelo Ivo de Carvalho from the United States at the end of April.

Deputies questioned the circumstances of Ramagem's escape and arrest, as well as the absence of the PF director general, Andrei Rodrigues, at another commission meeting. Andrei had been invited to provide clarifications in a previous session, but did not attend.

Despite the questions, the minister focused his speech on technical issues involving the Ministry of Justice and the Federal Police and how cooperation agreements work.

As for the specific case, Lima e Silva limited himself to highlighting information that was already public, such as the fact that Ramagem was not arrested due to his conviction by the STF (Supreme Federal Court), but for immigration reasons, since his situation in the country was irregular.

Sentenced to 16 years for an attempted coup d'état, Ramagem fled the country towards the USA. In April of this year, he was arrested by ICE, the American immigration and border control service. Days later, however, he was released.

In addition, he also briefly commented on the expulsion of delegate Marcelo Ivo from the country.

After Ramagem's arrest, the American government asked the agent to leave the USA. Ivo was responsible for carrying out the monitoring that resulted in the arrest of the former deputy.

To respond to this point, Lima e Silva read the PF's official response. The corporation said that Ivo's actions in the USA were limited to information "already available", including the arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Court, and that the delegate's actions took place "strictly within the normative role of the position".

At the end of the session, opposition deputies criticized the lack of responses from the minister.

The session lasted, but not long enough for Lima e Silva to answer all the questions. After participating in the commission, he went to an agenda in Asunción, capital of Paraguay, to discuss cooperation agreements with the Ministers of Justice of the countries that make up Mercosur (Common Market of the South).

Alexandre Ramagem is arrested by ICE in the United States | BEHIND THE SCENES CNN

Source: CNN