In video, Wilson Lima accuses Amazonino Mendes of spreading fake news about crisis in the MFTZ

Fábio Leite – From Cenarium

MANAUS – The electoral scenario this year should be watered with attacks between the likely candidates for a majoritarian position. In this climate of tension, the governor of Amazonas, Wilson Lima (União Brasil), published a video on social networks on Thursday, 5, in response to the possible pre-candidate for the state government, former governor Amazonino Mendes (Cidadania), after being accused of “inept”.

Lima said Mendes would be spreading fake news against his administration in managing the crisis caused by decrees of the federal government that penalize products manufactured by the Manaus Free Trade Zone (ZFM). Sought, the advisory of former governor Amazonino Mendes did not respond to questions about the accusation of fake news and limited itself to make political attacks.

“I want to warn of something very serious that is happening: are the fake news against me. To former governor Amazonino Mendes, don’t let electoral issues be above the truth, stop speaking lies about me. Do something real to defend the Manaus Free Trade Zone,” said Wilson Lima in the video.

The current governor of Amazonas also pointed out that it was in Amazonino’s administration that a large soft drink company stopped producing in the state. “Don’t count on people’s lack of memory, because it was in your government that Pepsi Cola went away, leaving many people unemployed. Let’s act seriously, Amazonino,” he said. The company’s exit from the Manaus Industrial Pole occurred in 2018, in the management of Amazonino Mendes, when there was an adjustment in the rate of the Industrialized Product Tax (IPI), a scenario similar to the current one.

Beginning of the attacks

Last April 29, former governor Amazonino Mendes published a video on social networks accusing the current government of “inept” and that as a consequence of the federal decree to zero the IPI rate under concentrates, Coca-Cola would leave Brazil, further affecting the Jayaro Mill, the sugarcane plantation, sugar and alcohol production.

Action

On Thursday, 5, Wilson Lima attended, in Brasilia (DF), meetings with the Supreme Court (SFT) to try to reverse the federal government decrees that take away the competitiveness of the Manaus Free Trade Zone and that can generate a deficit of approximately R$ 20 billion to the country. On Wednesday, 4, the Government of Amazonas filed the second Direct Action of Unconstitutionality (ADI) in the STF.

Read also: AM parliamentarians react to Bolsonaro decrees that bombard the competitiveness of the MFTZ

Old dispute

Amazonino’s complaints against Wilson are not from today. In 2018, the auxiliary judge of the Regional Electoral Court of Amazonas (TRE-AM), Bartolomeu Azevedo, dismissed a lawsuit filed by then-governor Amazonino against Wilson, for conveying “injurious” and “defamatory” information in the electoral propaganda, during the election that made Lima governor of the state.