Action of Keitton Pinheiro prevents delivery of benefits of the AM Government in Coari; population rebels

Luís Henrique Oliveira – Cenarium Magazine

Hundreds of residents of the city of Coari (363 kilometers from Manaus), who waited for hours to receive benefits under social programs of the Government of Amazonas, had to return to their homes “empty handed” this Saturday, 20. The reason is the lawsuit filed by the candidate for mayor of Coari, Keitton Pinheiro (Progressistas), against the social actions.

Keitton is an ally and relative of former mayors Adail Pinheiro and Adail Filho, and sought the Electoral Court to prevent the work of government agents. He alleged that he feels, electorally, prejudiced with the distribution of benefits. Coari will go through a by-election on December 5, after the cassation of Adail Filho.

The benefits planned to be delivered by agents of the Government of Amazonas are within the guidelines of social programs of the State Department of Social Assistance (Seas) and the State Department of Traffic (Detran-AM), informed the State Secretariat of Communication (Secom).

‘Empty hands’

Outraged, one of the residents of Coari, the trader Jackson Almeida, 38, said that the population can not be harmed by electoral interests and recalled that the benefits scheduled to be delivered are civil rights.

“Justice could not let the people be compromised in this fight of theirs for power. Everyone has been waiting here since early morning, and now we are going home empty-handed. It’s too revolting!”, he said.

Among the benefits to be distributed in Coari, were the delivery of State Aid cards, food baskets and material for the free concession of the National Driver’s License (CNH).

“The CNH was much awaited by the residents of Coari, because after the process of delivering the document to car and motorcycle drivers, the license expands job opportunities in the city”, said teacher Jamily Souza, 33.

A hindered

To prevent the social actions, Keitton Pinheiro justifies that Robson Tiradentes Júnior (PSC), his opponent in the election, can benefit from the social actions of the Government of Amazonas.

Residents of Coari were outraged with the justification of Pinheiro. “The Justice saw the side of Keitton and forgot the side of the population. What kind of Justice is this that only thinks about politicians”, questioned housewife Maria da Encarnação, 45 years old.

The operation to prevent the distribution of social benefits in Coari has agents of the Public Ministry (MP-AM) and Civil Police, and servers Regional Electoral Court (TRE-AM), which seized food baskets and emergency cards.

Sought by the report, the candidate for mayor of Coari, Keitton Pinheiro, declined to speak on the matter. In his political group, there was celebration by the action of Justice against the delivery of social benefits in Coari.

Government responds

In a note, the Government of Amazonas pronounced itself about the situation in Coari:

“The Government of Amazonas informs that the actions of the State held, this Saturday, in the city of Coari, as deliveries of State Aid and the Fish in the Solidarity Dish, are part of programs that meet urgent needs of the population, especially people in poverty and extreme poverty hard hit by the pandemic of Covid-19. For this reason, it will take the appropriate steps to clarify the facts and resume deliveries as soon as possible, fulfilling its duty to provide services to the population, without prejudice, especially to families in Coari.

Regarding the State Aid, Coari is the third inland municipality served with the income transfer program. The next one will be Tabatinga. The schedule for the following weeks includes municipalities in the troughs of Alto Solimões, Baixo Amazonas, Baixo Solimões, Madeira, Médio Solimões and Purus.

The State Government also informs that the Solidary Plate is also a program aimed at the food security of needy families and that, likewise, has a service schedule, being Coari the seventh to receive the action in the interior. Peixe no Prato has already assisted families from Maués, Codajás, Parintins, Rio Preto da Eva, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Anamã, and Novo Aripuanã.

The government also clarifies that there was no seizure of state aircraft and boats.”