Candidate Ronaldo Caiado defends removal of Federal Police director by STF minister

Presidential candidate Ronaldo Caiado (PSD) defended this Tuesday (8) the decision of Minister André Mendonça, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), on the preventive removal of the director general of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues.

The statement was made after visiting the Sirius Laboratory facilities, in Campinas (SP). Based on what Mendonça pointed out, that he had been illegally monitored by the PF, Caiado stated that the measure "was the right one".

"It is unacceptable, it is inadmissible, that a member of the Supreme Court is there, tracked by a Federal Police operation. This shows that the institutions are firm and that they have managed to overcome this coup, because, without a doubt, it is a major crime committed against a member of the Federal Supreme Court", he declared.

The presidential candidate also declared that the PF's alleged attitude "destroys the credibility" of the corporation and that "not all members, but those who are in these areas deserve to be removed immediately."

"And the Federal Police will recover its ability to combat crime and not patrol, or threaten, or wiretap authorities like Minister André Mendonça."

In addition to Andrei Rodrigues, Mendonça also preventively removed Leandro Almada, from the Federal Police Intelligence Directorate, on Tuesday (8).

The decision also ordered the opening of investigative procedures in the PF Internal Affairs Department and the suspension of the production of PF reports on the actions of magistrates, public lawyers and federal police officers.

The measure configures another episode of the institutional crisis that took place in Brasília. The precautionary measure is the latest development in a succession of events in the first days of September.