Graça appeals to the Supreme Court to prevent asset freeze.
Petrobras President Graça Foster has asked the Supreme Court to prevent her assets from being frozen by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in the investigation into alleged losses incurred by the state-owned company in the purchase of the Pasadena Refinery. The request was filed on July 30th. In its session this Wednesday, August 6th, the TCU postponed its decision on freezing the assets of the state-owned company's executives.
André Richter - Reporter for Agência Brasil
Petrobras President Graça Foster has asked the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to prevent her assets from being frozen by the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) in the process investigating alleged losses suffered by the state-owned company in the purchase of the Pasadena Refinery in the United States. The request was filed on July 30. In today's session (6), the TCU postponed the decision on freezing the president's assets.
On July 23, the TCU (Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts) determined that 11 former executives of the state-owned company must return US$792,3 million to public coffers for losses caused by the purchase of the Pasadena Refinery in the United States.
Even though she wasn't included in the decision, the president's defense team preempted the TCU (Federal Court of Accounts) ruling to prevent the asset freeze. According to the lawyers, the case's rapporteur, Minister José Jorge, told the press that he "should include other people in the ruling that held the former Petrobras board responsible."
Graça Foster's request will be judged together with the writ of mandamus in which the former president of Petrobras, José Sergio Gabrielli, requests the release of his assets, considered unavailable by the Court of Auditors. Gabrielli's request was filed on July 27th.
The request for an injunction will be judged by Minister Gilmar Mendes. The decision could affect former directors Paulo Roberto Costa and Nestor Cerveró.
The process that could have frozen the assets of Petrobras' president, Graça Foster, was removed today from the voting agenda of the TCU plenary session, following a request from the rapporteur, Minister José Jorge. He wants more time to assess the situation, after intervention from the Attorney General of the Union, Luís Adams, to prevent Graça Foster's assets from being frozen.
TCU postpones decision on freezing assets of Petrobras executives.
Aline Leal - The process that could block the assets of the president of Petrobras, Graça Foster, was removed today (6) from the voting agenda of the plenary of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU). The measure came at the request of the rapporteur of the process, Minister José Jorge, who wanted more time to assess the situation after the Attorney General of the Union, Luís Adams, argued that Graça Foster should not have her assets blocked.
José Jorge even read the report of the process judging responsibilities for alleged irregularities in Petrobras' acquisition of the Pasadena Refinery. Graça Foster and Jorge Luiz Zelada were included in the process to replace Ildo Luís Sauer and Nestor Cerveró, who were no longer part of Petrobras' executive board. The action suggested the freezing of assets of those responsible for the losses attributed to Petrobras in the purchase of the North American refinery.
This was the first time Adams personally defended the company before the TCU (Brazilian Federal Court of Accounts). He argued that there is no need to freeze the assets of directors Guilherme Estrela and Almir Barbassa, and of Graça Foster, who was included in the TCU proceedings because she was part of the board of directors at the time of the negotiation. "Assets should be frozen to the extent that the directors have engaged in some type of illegal practice or action, such as hindering oversight, causing further damage, or preventing reimbursement," argued the Union's lawyer.