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🇧🇷 Brazil /Elections & Politics

Operation targeting 'Dark Horse' producer bothers Nunes, who calls it 'political persecution'

From Folha de S.Paulo · () Portuguese

Translated from Portuguese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes criticized a police operation targeting city hall and a film production company, alleging political persecution.
  • The operation investigates irregularities in a contract for a free Wi-Fi program managed by the ICB, which is also linked to the production company of a film about Jair Bolsonaro.
  • Nunes stated that if the operation is related to the film, it constitutes a grave error and disrespect to democracy, asserting his team found no wrongdoing in the contract.

São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes has voiced strong objections to a police operation that targeted city hall departments and the production company behind the film "Dark Horse," which focuses on the stabbing of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Nunes, an ally of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, suggested the operation was politically motivated.

If the motivation, as you are telling me, is because of the film, then I am going after a contract with the city hall in 2024 because of the film. Then it is serious. Then it is political persecution.

— Ricardo NunesSão Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes commenting on the police operation and its potential link to the film 'Dark Horse'.

The civil police are investigating alleged irregularities in the contracting of the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB) to manage the city's free Wi-Fi program. Karina Ferreira da Gama, who heads the ICB, also owns Go UP Entertainment, the company that produced "Dark Horse." Investigators suspect that funds diverted from the Wi-Fi program may have ended up with the production company.

If by chance it is a political issue, I think it is a serious mistake. I think it is a disrespect to democracy.

— Ricardo NunesSão Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes expressing his view on the alleged political motivation behind the police operation.

"If the motivation, as you are telling me, is because of the film, then I am going after a contract with the city hall in 2024 because of the film. Then it is serious. Then it is political persecution," Nunes stated, questioning the timing of the investigation in relation to the film's release.

What I think, and here you will allow me, knowing how I am, my sincerity, that sometimes I exaggerate my sincerity, I think it is more because the person who is from this entity, participates in Bolsonaro's film, than specifically because of that process.

— Ricardo NunesSão Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes speculating on the reasons behind the police operation.

He added that if the action is politically driven, it represents a grave error and a disrespect to democracy. Police searched offices at the Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology. According to reports, the secretary informed Nunes that the seized materials were publicly available documents. Despite this, Nunes criticized the operation, stating he had requested a review of the process twice last week and that his team found no issues with the contract.

Only now has this issue [suspected irregularities] come up, and talking about Bolsonaro's film.

— Ricardo NunesSão Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes highlighting the timing of the investigation in relation to the film.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Folha de S.Paulo in Portuguese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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