A journalist from CBN Manaus was assaulted by the Transport Minister

Ronaldo Lázaro Tiradentes, journalist of  Tiradentes Radio and Television broadcast station, which is a rebroadcast station of CBN (radio station) in Manaus, was assaulted by Alfredo Nascimento, Senator and Transport Minister, on 27 June 2009, in the parking area of Manaus Airport, Amazonas.

The journalist was with his wife in a car of the broadcast station when the aggressor approached and tried to break into the car by the drivers door. According to the journalist, Nascimento shouted at him, demanding that he opened the door and saying he was a “vagabond thief”. Nascimento was with his son, Gustavo Nascimento, who tried to punch the journalist’s wife.

The assault ended only when the journalist started to film the scene with his cell phone camera.Tiradentes registered a complaint at the Federal Police Department of Amazonas against the Minister and his son for intimidation and abuse of authority. 

In the document presented by Tiradentes, he affirms that “as if the physical and verbal aggression were not enough, the Transport Minister, obviously abusing of his power, asked the federal policemen on shift at the airport to inspect the car used by them. Few minutes later, two agents of the Federal Police informed that Alfredo Nascimento had convoked them under the allegation that there was a gun in the car occupied by the journalist and his wife".

According to the journalist, the broadcast station broadcasted some news questioning the accomplishment of the promises made by Nascimento during his election campaign.
 
In interview with Abraji, Jeferson Luis Rodrigues, press assistant of the Transport Minister, said that the Minister filed “several lawsuits against Tiradentes”. According to the press assistant, these are recent lawsuits and they are in process at the Department of Justice.