MPE gives Tarcísio government 5 days to explain PM's action against Haddad's driver

The investigation was opened based on a representation from Haddad's Desperta São Paulo coalition. According to the report, a Military Police (PM) vehicle used flashlights to identify the occupants of the vehicle in which the candidate was traveling and, after the PT member disembarked, accompanied its driver along Avenida 23 de Maio.

The episode would have ended in an approach near the Hotel Pullman São Paulo Ibirapuera, where Alessandro would have parked and asked the police for information. According to the driver, the PM officers told the driver to "leave" after the contact.

In an order signed by regional electoral attorney Paulo Taubemblatt, the MPE states that the facts could, in theory, constitute abuse of political powers and authority, in addition to conduct prohibited by the use of public assets and employees in disagreement with the purposes of the administration. The measure is preliminary in nature and seeks to gather elements to clarify the episode.

The Secretary of Public Security, Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves, must inform whether there was an order, authorization or consent from the ministry to carry out an overt patrol in the Planalto Paulista neighborhood that night and explain the reasons for the operation, if it took place.

The MPE also requested the general commander of the Military Police, Colonel Glauce Anselmo Cavalli, the strategic and operational plan of the battalion responsible for the region, the delimitation of the patrolling sectors, the planned itineraries and the service orders issued between the 1st and 11th of August. The corporation must still identify the vehicle and the police officers involved in the reported incident.

The Pullman Hotel was ordered to deliver, within the same deadline, images from security cameras in public areas recorded after 9:40 pm on the 11th. The prosecutor also ordered the sending of a copy of the case to the São Paulo Public Ministry for analysis of possible crimes of illegal embarrassment and threat. The processing of the news was indeed extended for 90 days.

Haddad's coalition also states that the episode may be related to criticisms made by the candidate of the current São Paulo government's public security policy during the debate promoted by Band two days earlier. Possible institutional retaliation, however, has not yet been proven.

The PM opened a preliminary investigation into the case. According to the Public Security Secretariat, images from around 40 private cameras installed along the route informed by the driver were examined, as well as geolocation data from the vehicles. So far, according to the ministry, no signs of irregular approach or interaction between police officers and Haddad and members of his team have been found.

Images obtained near the PT member's residence show a vehicle passing by the place as he disembarks from the car, around 9:45 pm. The recording alone does not allow us to confirm whether the driver was subsequently chased or approached.

Tarcísio stated at a press conference on Thursday night, the 13th, that Caseri will be called to give a formal statement and that the investigation will have to compare his report with the images and other elements gathered.

Haddad, in turn, said that the employee felt embarrassed after being accompanied for around five kilometers and defended the analysis of recordings from the hotel and the Smart Sampa system. According to the PT member, the objective is to clarify the episode and, if inappropriate conduct is found, to obtain an apology from the driver.

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