President of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry maintains request for arrest of associate of Careca from INSS.

Luciano Nascimento, reporter for Agência Brasil - The president of the INSS Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPMI), Senator Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), criticized this Monday (29) the opinion of the Attorney General's Office (PGR) for the archiving of the case opened against economist Rubens Oliveira Costa, after he was detained for false testimony in testimony to the commission. Viana stated that he will maintain the decision to arrest the economist.

On Monday, during the opening of the meeting of the commission investigating the misappropriation of funds from retirees and pensioners, Carlos Viana said that he was informed of the PGR's statement alleging that the businessman had appeared before the CPMI as a person under investigation, not as a witness, and was therefore not under legal obligation to tell the truth.

"This CPMI (Commission of Inquiry Commission) is sovereign in the exercise of its functions. We conduct the investigations and determine who is a witness and who is under investigation. We will continue all our work with absolute firmness and transparency. The committee is clear about its role. We are here to determine responsibility, separate those involved, and bring the truth to Brazilian society. No external decision alters the course of our work. I reaffirm that the CMPI's authority is full and guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution," the congressman stated.

Senator Carlos Viana also stated that he asked the Senate's Legal Department to file an appeal against the closure of the investigation against Oliveira Costa.

"Regarding investigations, the CPMI is autonomous and independent; we are the ones who decide their course. When the investigation is within the scope of the Federal Police and in inquiries that will be forwarded to the Judiciary, the Prosecutor's Office can take a position with complete peace of mind, because that is the appropriate forum for it. But here in Parliament, we have our own rules of procedure and independence to carry out our duties," he added.

Understand the case

The rapporteur of the INSS CPMI, deputy Alfredo Gaspar (União-AL), requested the arrest of businessman Rubens Oliveira Costa, identified as a partner of Antônio Carlos Antunes, known as Careca do INSS, after giving testimony to the CPMI.

Oliveira Costa was summoned to testify as a witness before the panel on Monday (22), when the CPMI rapporteur requested the economist's preventive arrest due to the risk of escape and the commission of new crimes and his arrest in flagrante delicto for the crime of concealing documents.

Oliveira Costa was detained at the end of his testimony, but was released by the Senate Legislative Police in the early hours of Tuesday (23), after clarifications to the Senate Federal Police Secretariat and, according to one of his lawyers, Bernardo Coelho, he was released afterwards, without even paying bail.

Testimonials

This Monday, the CPMI will hear testimony from the president of the National Confederation of Family Farmers and Rural Family Entrepreneurs (Conafer), Carlos Roberto Ferreira Lopes.

Conafer is among the entities with the highest volume of discounts on retirees' monthly payments, according to an investigation by the Federal Police. 

The CPMI rapporteur, Congressman Alfredo Gaspar, justified the unionist's summons due to the dizzying growth in Conafer's revenue, which jumped from R$6,6 million to more than R$40 million, which coincides with the period in which undue discounts directly on the social security benefits of insured individuals intensified.

Initially, the testimony of businessman Fernando dos Santos Andrade Cavalcanti was also scheduled, but it was postponed. The president of the board said he postponed the hearing so as not to interfere with the work of the board. The testimony will be given next Thursday (2).