Brazil’s Gleisi Hoffmann Condemns Online Attacks on House Speaker After IOF Vote

Brazil’s Minister of Institutional Relations, Gleisi Hoffmann, and the government’s leader in the Chamber of Deputies, José Guimarães, publicly repudiated a wave of personal attacks against Chamber President Hugo Motta. The officials said legitimate political disagreements do not justify insults circulating on social media and urged respect for democratic institutions. Motta became a target online after presiding over the 1 July vote that revoked a presidential decree raising the IOF, a measure the administration framed as part of its tax-justice agenda. The government’s unexpected defeat deepened strains between the executive and legislative branches; the Advocacia-Geral da União has since petitioned the Supreme Federal Court to reinstate the higher tax rate. By defending Motta, Hoffmann and Guimarães signalled a bid to calm relations with Congress as the government seeks support for other fiscal proposals. Analysts see the episode as an early test of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s ability to maintain congressional backing ahead of a pre-election year marked by divisive economic measures.