The Minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro, rejected the agreement offered by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) that could free him from opening an investigation for homophobia in the Supreme Federal Court (STF). For that, the minister would have to admit that he committed a crime by saying, in an interview with Estadão, published in September, that “homosexuality (sic)” is “the result of maladjusted families”.
In a statement sent to the Supreme Court on Thursday, 26, Ribeiro officially announced that he refuses the proposed settlement and asks for the case to be closed. The minister also reiterated “his firmest apology, ever made publicly, to any and all people who have been offended by the words spoken”.
The admission that the minister committed a crime of prejudice against homosexuals could be interpreted as a contradictory sign by the Bolsonaro government itself, which is trying in the Supreme Court to “relativize” the concept of homophobia.
The possibility of an agreement was offered by the deputy attorney general of the Republic, Humberto Jacques, to the minister on September 25, the same day that the agency asked the STF to open an investigation. On the last 5th, in a letter obtained by Estadão, the deputy attorney general informed the attorney general of the Union, José Levi, who had questioned the holder of Education about “any interest in entering into a non-criminal prosecution agreement”. In the message, Jacques asks again if there is interest in accepting the proposal.
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