On Tuesday, Luciano Hang, who was one of the targets of search and seizure warrants by federal police for allegedly sending fraudulent messages in a group with other businessmen, suspended his Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook accounts (23).

Through his Twitter profile, which was not affected, the businessman recorded a video and published a note in which he qualified the blocking of Internet accounts as censorship. “No censorship! Where is democracy and freedom of thought and speech?” the businessman began.

Businessman classifies suspension of social media profiles as censorship – Photo: Luciano Hang/Disclosure

Hang also pointed out that the operation in which he and seven other businessmen were targeted is a narrative brought against him. “I’m sure that’s the whole point of this whole story against me: an attempt to silence me. But I remain calm because I have a clear conscience and millions of Brazilians are on my side, ”he defended himself.

Luciano has blocked his Instagram page with over 5.2 million followers. Facebook with almost 500k people and TikTok with over 215k followers. The businessman’s profiles on Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn were not affected.

Share this video. My instagram was taken off the air because of a false article in which the author himself, journalist Guilherme Amado, admits that I never talked about the coup. Together we are millions. There is no democracy without freedom! pic.twitter.com/tLZgklQTyI

— Luciano Hang (@LucianoHangBr) August 24, 2022

See the entrepreneur’s full note

“NO CENSORSHIP! Where is democracy and freedom of thought and expression? I’m sure the whole point of this story was directed against me: an attempt to silence me. But I’m still calm, because I have a clear conscience and millions of Brazilians next to me. Ever since I became a political activist, I have fought for civil liberty and for a better, more prosperous and just Brazil. I would have been much more comfortable staying in the comfort of my own home, but I chose not to remain silent in the face of the atrocities of our country. We live in dark times, but we will overcome.”

Luciano censored his Instagram page, which has over 5.2 million followers. Facebook, with nearly 500,000 people, and TikTok, with over 215,000 followers, were also censored. Luciano Hang is still active on his Twitter page @LucianoHangBr, Youtube Luciano Hang Oficial and Linkedin Luciano Hang.

Operation investigates reports of support for coup d’état

A federal police operation against businessmen who would share messages about the coup in WhatsApp groups moved to Santa Catarina on Tuesday (23).

Among the targets of the operation, which executes eight search and seizure warrants in five states, are two well-known businessmen in Santa Catarina: Luciano Hang from Havana and Marco Aurelio Raimundo, known as Morongo, the founder of Mormaii.

Luciano Hang took up an enforcement position at his residence in Balneario Camboriu, on the north coast of Santa Catarina, and in Brusca, Havana’s administrative headquarters, in Vale do Itajai.

In the note, he said he was surprised at 6 a.m. in the morning when he was working at the store’s headquarters, and the Federal Police took away his mobile phone.

Federal police pursued eight businessmen, two of them from Santa Catarina. Photo: Moises Stucker/NDTV

He also stated that he was “quiet because I am on the side of the truth and with a clear conscience. Since I became a political activist, I have been preaching democracy and freedom of thought and expression so that we can have a fairer and freer country for all Brazilians.”

Morongo, in his defense, stated that “he still does not know the full content of the investigation, but has left himself and remains at the disposal of all authorities to clarify the circumstances.” The warrant was served at an address associated with a businessman in Garopaba, south of Santa Catarina.

In addition to them, under investigation are: José Isaac Perez (Multiplan chain of stores), Andre Tisso (Grupo Serra), Ivan Vrubel (Construtora W3), José Curi (Barra World Shopping), Meyer Nirgri (Tecnisa) and Afranio Barreira (Group Coco Bambu ).

The operation was launched at the behest of Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) and aims to investigate whether businessmen would defend coup strategies if Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT) won this year’s elections.

The action is the result of messages exchanged between the victims in WhatsApp groups, published in an article by journalist Guilherme Amado from the Metropoles portal dated August 17 under the heading: “Exclusive. Bolsonarist businessmen defend a coup d’état if Lula is elected; see zaps”.

After the report was released, Senator Randolph Rodriguez (Rede-AP) called the STF and asked that investigations into reports and business groups be included in the digital militias investigation led by Alexander de Moraes.

The operation is subject to the absolute secrecy of the Federal Police, which, as usual, does not reveal further details of the police investigation.

What are other entrepreneurs saying?

Businessman Afraniu Barreira Filho of Coco Bamboo posted a note saying he was “absolutely calm”. “My only manifestation [no grupo de WhatsApp] there was a smiley on this topic [o desenho de um rapaz aplaudindo os comentários de outros integrantes do grupo] signaling that a message has been read [anterior], disapproving and disagreeing with its content,” he commented, guaranteeing the credibility of justice and support for Brazilian democracy. “I have never advocated, spoken out, thought or written in favor of any anti-democratic or coup movement. Therefore, I am for freedom, democracy and a fair electoral process.”

In the memo, Ivan Vrubel’s defense qualifies as a false statement that the businessman is defending a coup d’état and claims that his honor and authority were shaken “simply by participating in a WhatsApp group.” “A descendant of a Polish-Jewish family, Mr. Ivan has always been aware of the danger that a dictatorship can cause. It should be noted that in 1968 Mr. [durante o regime militar]when a student ime [Instituto Militar de Engenharia]was asked to leave the institution for speaking out against AI-5 [Ato Institucional nº 5]”, – adds protection.

Luis adviser Andre Tissot said that he would not comment on this topic yet.

O BUT+ contacted other businessmen mentioned in the report, but received no response prior to the publication of this report. The space remains open.