The Advocate General of the Union, Jorge Messias, defended this Tuesday (7) that the AGU has a more proactive role in combating disinformation and attacks against democracy. “We will not be silent”, he said at an event celebrating the body’s 30th anniversary, in Brasília. After the January 8 attacks, when the headquarters of the Three Powers were invaded and vandalized, Messias promoted what he called a “rearrangement of attributions” within the AGU, creating the National Attorney for the Defense of Democracy. The declared competence of the new attorney’s office is to monitor false news and distortions about institutions or public policies and take legal action whenever it identifies damage to the functioning of democracy. “Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the AGU has decided to do its part, within the limits of its competences, and join the other institutions in the fight against deliberate lies that intend to ruin the foundations that sustain the Democratic State of Law”, said Messias. “We decided that we will not be silent.” He recalled that the implementation of the new attorney’s office is still being debated with other public agents and civil society, through the working group that discusses the regulation of the new body. Messias said that the AGU will maintain “the awareness that our role is to strengthen public freedoms, especially that of free expression and the press”. Minister Gilmar Mendes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), praised the initiative. He assessed that the episodes of January 8 are part of an articulated movement and said that it is essential to fight those who manipulate citizens and finance anti-democratic initiatives. “It is essential that accountability is sought and that the AGU has this arm for the defense of democracy and for the accountability of those who violate it,” said the minister. Gilmar Mendes defended a quick regulation of social networks, so that platforms can also shoulder their share of responsibility. “It is essential that we even take advantage of the window of opportunity that January 8 opened for us to discuss with absolute frankness the need for a change in legislation.” The event celebrating AGU’s 30th anniversary continues until tomorrow (8) with panels on the agency’s role in defending democracy and ecological transition, among other topics. The complete schedule and live broadcasts can be found on the special portal created for the event.
Agência Brasil
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