The raid on the Governor of Rio for alleged embezzlement raises suspicion of Bolsonaro’s political interference | International

This Tuesday, Rio de Janeiro has been, once again, the background of an operation against corruption. Among the objectives of the Federal Police agents was the current state governor, Wilson Witzel, investigated by the Superior Court of Justice for participating in an alleged system of embezzlement of funds destined for the Ministry of Health. Specifically, there have been irregularities in the contracting of a non-profit institution to install field hospitals that should receive patients with symptoms of coronavirus. By order of the Prosecutor’s Office, the police have seized Witzel’s cell phone and computer, which he denies having committed any crime. He is the sixth governor of Rio de Janeiro involved in police investigations. There are indications that the Government in Brasilia already knew about the so-called Operation Placebo. Jair Bolsonaro, that is being investigated by the Federal Supreme Court by supposedly having interfered with the Federal Police and he is a political enemy of the Governor of Rio, he has congratulated the police when asked about the operation.

The investigation, opened on May 13, is carried out jointly by the Federal Public Ministry and the Prosecutor of the State of Rio and has in its sights an emergency contract signed between the Witzel government and the Iabas institution for 835 million reais ($ 156 million) to build and manage seven field hospitals. In the court order, the Public Ministry declares that there is “a probable participation of the dome of the Executive Power of Rio de Janeiro.” The action was authorized by magistrate Benedito Gonçalvez and aimed at 12 addresses, including the Palacio das Laranjeiras (the governor’s official residence), the Guanabara Palace (the seat of the Executive), the former governor’s residence in the Grajaú neighborhood and the Law firm of his wife, Helena Witzel.

The operation is part of an investigation that arrested former Rio deputy health secretary Gabriell Neves and three other people suspected of embezzling public funds in the emergency purchase of respirators earlier this month. The case, revealed by journalist Rubens Berta, uncovered suspicions of fraud in non-bid contracts totaling 1 billion reais ($ 187 million), which were to go toward fighting the coronavirus. The largest, at $ 835 million ($ 156 million), was a contract with Iabas. Judge Marcelo Bretas – who coordinated the part of the anti-corruption mega-operation Lava Jato corresponding to Rio de Janeiro— authorized the arrest of the director of the institution, the businessman Mário Peixoto, on May 14. Days later, in the midst of a crisis over allegations of fraud, Witzel dismissed the then Secretary of Health, Edmar Santos.

Evidence collected by federal and state investigators was sent to the US Attorney’s Office, and the investigation began to target the governor directly. At his wife’s law firm, a contract of 540,000 reais ($ 100,000) was found with the investigated company, which would be one of the signs of embezzlement, according to the newspaper. Folha de S. Paulo. The value should be paid in 36 installments of 15,000 reais. Witzel denies the irregularities and accuses President Bolsonaro of political persecution.

Possible political interference in the Federal Police

The day before the operation against Witzel, the Bolsonarista deputy Carla Zambelli affirmed in an interview that police operations were being carried out against the governors. The deputy is the wife of an agent of the National Force, subordinate, as well as the Federal Police, to the Ministry of Justice. The National Federation of Federal Police has requested this Tuesday that the leak be investigated, due to Zambelli’s “known and notorious” link with some commissioners. She denied that she had been notified of the operation on Tuesday. In a press release, Governor Witzel has stated that he was “extremely surprised and outraged because, clearly, the Bolsonarista deputies have announced on social networks, in recent days, a Federal Police operation directed at me, which clearly shows that there was a leak ”.

Bolsonaro, for his part, has congratulated the Federal Police for the operation. The superintendency of the Rio Federal Police is at the center of the disagreement between the president and former Justice Minister Sergio Moro, who left office accusing his boss of wanting to interfere in the command of the institution. Because of those allegations, the attorney general, Augusto Arasse, asked the Federal Supreme Court to open an investigation. After Moro’s resignation, the president dismissed the director of the Federal Police and, the same day, the Rio superintendency changed. In the video of the April 22 ministerial meeting, Bolsonaro also hinted that he wanted to interfere with the institution to prevent investigations involving family and friends. There is also speculation that the president intends to use the institution against his political opponents, something he denies.

During the 2018 elections, Witzel embarked on the Bolsonarist speech and had the important support of Flávio Bolsonaro to win. Last year, the governor became a political opponent of Bolsonaro, who accuses him of using the local police to harm him and his family, in view of the 2022 presidential elections. A report from the magazine Crusoé published on May 22, it showed that the content of a file that passed through the Planalto Palace is the same that serves as the basis for the investigation against Witzel. This Tuesday, the blog of journalist Andreia Sadi has reported that the Executive had been waiting for the operation against Witzel for days.

This Tuesday, Witzel has accused Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, his former political godfather. “Contrary to what is seen in the family of President Bolsonaro, the family files investigations, leaks information. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, with all the evidence we have against him, should already be in prison. He does, ”said the governor, referring to the open investigations against the president’s son regarding the alleged embezzlement of funds in his cabinet. “The Federal Police should do their job with the same serenity as they do in Rio de Janeiro, because the president believes that I am persecuting his family and believes that the only alternative is to persecute me politically,” he added.

The senator has responded to Witzel live on his Instagram channel. “When you say I should already be in jail, why in jail? I have done nothing wrong. They have been investigating me for over two years and there is no complaint against me because they cannot report me. Now, this is not your case, “he said. “I apologize to those who voted for Governor Wilson because they believed me, Bolsonaro. Me specifically, because the president was traveling in other states and left the Rio de Janeiro campaign to me, “he concluded.

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