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🇧🇷 Brazil /Culture & Society

São Paulo Deputy Accuses Government Leader of Gender Violence After Hearing Dispute

From Folha de S.Paulo · () Portuguese

Translated from Portuguese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • State Deputy Ana Carolina Serra accused government leader Gilmaci Santos of gender-based political violence after an argument during a Sabesp hearing.
  • The incident occurred when Santos removed the Sabesp president from the session, which Serra chairs, citing a lack of quorum.
  • Santos claimed the meeting was invalid and accused the opposition of political maneuvering, while Serra felt disrespected and constrained.

A heated exchange in the São Paulo Legislative Assembly has led to accusations of gender-based political violence. State Deputy Ana Carolina Serra (PSDB), who chairs the Metropolitan Affairs Committee, accused Gilmaci Santos, the government leader for Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, of disrespect and political intimidation.

The confrontation occurred during a hearing intended to question the president of the state water company Sabesp, Carlos Augusto Piani, about service failures. Although the session lacked a quorum, Serra and other deputies proposed an informal meeting. Santos, a substitute member of the committee, objected and proceeded to remove Piani from the room, escalating into a verbal dispute with Serra.

A reunião não existiu. Alguém poderia questionar a audiência juridicamente, já que não haveria transmissão nem notas taquigráficas

— Gilmaci SantosThe government leader explained his reasoning for objecting to the informal session.

Serra stated she felt constrained and disrespected, interpreting Santos's actions as an attempt to silence her and undermine the hearing. The PSDB executive in São Paulo issued a statement repudiating Santos's conduct, describing it as a violation of democratic debate and incompatible with his public office. They emphasized that gender-based political violence often manifests as women being harassed or disqualified in their public roles.

Conversely, Santos, speaking to the press, asserted that the meeting was technically invalid due to the lack of quorum and official recording. He accused opposition members of exploiting the situation for political gain, claiming only opposition representatives were present. The Republicanos party, to which Santos belongs, defended his actions as a strictly technical measure to adhere to parliamentary rules, vehemently denying any gender-based political violence.

Refutamos veementemente qualquer insinuação de violência política de gênero por parte do deputado Gilmaci. Sua atuação foi pautada, exclusivamente, na observação do regimento interno da Assembleia

— Republicanos PartyThe party defended their member's actions as adherence to parliamentary rules.
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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