When Federal Deputy Alê Silva (PSL-MG) accused Minister Marcelo Álvaro Antônio (Tourism) of leading a scheme that created fake congressional candidates to embezzle campaign money she also became the target of threats by the same minister, she says.
Alê Silva reported the threats to the Federal Police, and police say there are signs the minister is the source of the threats. Alê Silva says another politician in a meeting with Alvaro Antonio heard the phrase: "I'm going to stop my life to end hers.”
Folha revealed PSL's fake political candidate scheme in February. The scheme involved fake political candidates allocating public electoral funds to companies linked to the office of Álvaro Antônio, who then was a deputy. Alê Silva said that she campaigned throughout Minas Gerais without seeing any election material from two PSL candidates in the region. Those candidates are now being investigated.
Janaina Paschoal, state deputy for PSL-SP, insisted that Antônio resign. Álvaro Antônio refused, saying that Alê Silva smeared him because of a dispute over the leadership of municipal directories of the party and accused Folha of running "a full-blown campaign” to attack him.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon