‘I don’t understand a f***ing thing about the Free Trade Zone,’ says senator from Amazonas

By Marcela Leiros – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – During the delivery of the Amazonas 2025 Commercial Merit Medal, from the State Federation of Commerce (Fecomércio-AM), on the 13th of this month, Senator Plínio Valério (PSDB) stated in his speech that he does not understand the Manaus Free Trade Zone (ZFM) and its taxes, using a profane word to express himself.

The senator was commenting on the work carried out in Brasília (DF) and the importance of commerce for the economy. According to him, he did not need to be present at some discussions if his assistant, Ivone — whom he mentioned — was there.

“My assistants were there, Omar mentioned Ivone, she is my assistant, she was there day and night. I wasn’t there because I don’t understand a f*cking thing about the Free Trade Zone, about taxes. But I don’t need to be. My staff is there for that,” said the senator.

The event also included the participation of senators Eduardo Braga (MDB/AM), Omar Aziz (PSD/AM), and the superintendent of the ZFM, Bosco Saraiva.

In a statement, Plínio Valério claimed that the excerpt was taken out of context and stated that, by saying he did not deeply understand the topic, he intended to highlight the importance of having a specialized technical advisor who assists him in monitoring tax and economic issues of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (AM).

Attack on Minister Marina Silva

At the same event, the senator spoke about “strangling” the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (MAMC), Marina Silva, if he had to listen to her speak for more than six hours.

“Marina was at the NGOs’ CPI, six hours and ten minutes, imagine what it’s like to tolerate Marina for six hours and ten minutes without strangling her… My wife, Ana, who is right there, kept sending me messages the whole time, right? Egging me on, ‘throwing gasoline on the fire,’ and in the end, she told me: ‘If you had 10% of the patience you had with Marina, we would never fight.’ Because that’s exactly what she wanted—she provoked, provoked, provoked, and provoked the entire time, but I made her say those foolish things, one of which is that we want a road just for a stroll. Yeah… for a stroll too,” he said.

When mentioning the BR-319, the highway that connects Amazonas to other states, Plínio made new attacks on the minister. “This issue with BR-319 will move forward even if by force, it has to happen. Marina is shielded, Marina is not stupid, she repeats things, it’s brainwashing, but she [inaudible]. Lula wants to remove Marina, but he can’t because of external forces,” he stated.

Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves