PF will open an investigation to investigate Silvio Almeida

The PF (Federal Police) will open an investigation to look into the accusations of sexual harassment against the Minister of Human Rights, Silvio Almeida. The information was given by the general director of the PF, Andrei Rodrigues, to GloboNews.

“[Vamos iniciar a investigação] on our own initiative, we have not yet received representation”declared Andrei.

Silvio de Almeida was accused of having committed sexual harassment against several people, including his colleague from Esplanada, the head of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco. The complaints were made to Me Too Brazil, international movement that collects reports of sexual harassment and assault.

According to Mand Too, the demand was sent by the column of journalist Guilherme Amado, from Metropolisesto confirm the accusations, and the disclosure of the case was made with the consent of the victims, since the information is kept confidential. Here is the full of the note (PDF – 24 kB).

The Me Too Brazil statement does not mention the minister’s name. Anielle is mentioned in several media outlets (among them, Metropolises, S.Paulo Newspaper and The Globe). In a statement, Silvio Almeida denied the accusations and classified them as “false” and repudiated with “vehemence the lies that are being spread”.

The portal also states that the matter has already reached the CGU (Comptroller General of the Union), the ministry responsible for dealing with cases of moral and sexual harassment within the federal public service. It is not clear whether any action has been taken.

WHAT SILVIO AND ANIELLE SAY

THE Poder360 reached out to Anielle via phone call, WhatsApp messages and email to ask if she would like to comment on the accusations. There was no response by the time this report was published. The text will be updated if a statement is sent to this digital newspaper.

Read the full note from Silvio Almeida:

“I absolutely vehemently repudiate the lies that are being thrown at me. I repudiate such accusations with the strength of the love and respect that I have for my wife and my beloved 1-year-old daughter, in the midst of the fight that I wage, daily, in favor of human rights and citizenship in this country.

“Any and all complaints must be substantiated. However, what I see are absurd inferences with the sole intention of harming me, erasing our struggles and stories, and blocking our future.

“I confess that it is very sad to experience all this, it hurts my soul. Once again, there is a group wanting to erase and diminish our existence, attributing to me the behaviors that they practice. With this, Brazil loses, the human rights agenda loses, racial equality loses and the Brazilian people lose.

“Each and every complaint must be investigated to the fullest extent of the law, but for this to happen, the facts must be exposed so that they can be investigated and processed. And not just based on lies, without evidence. I will forward official letters to the Office of the Comptroller General of the Union, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Office of the Attorney General so that they can conduct a careful investigation of the case.

“False accusations, as defined in article 339 of the Penal Code, constitute “slanderous denunciation”. Such defamation will not be matched by reality. According to recent movements, it is clear that there is a campaign to affect my image as a black man in a prominent position in Public Power, but these will not be successful. This proves the low and vile character of social sectors committed to backwardness, lies and the attempt to silence the voice of the Brazilian people, regardless of partisan views.

“Any distortions of reality will be uncovered and held accountable. I will always fight for the true emancipation of women, and I will continue to fight for their future. False defenders of the people want to take away the one who represents them. They are trying to erase my history with my sacrifice.”