'Whistleblowing has become a tool for judging people'

Minas 247 – Lawyer and law professor at PUC-Minas, the Minister of Agrarian Development, Patrus Ananias, expresses "serious concerns" about the way Operation Lava Jato has been conducted and its "selective leaks" of plea bargain testimonies. In an interview with Estadão, the historical activist and founder of the PT (Workers' Party) recalls that plea bargaining is a "delicate issue worldwide."

"Plea bargaining is a very delicate issue worldwide. Many countries don't adopt it, and in those that do, the first condition is that it be rigorously preserved to uncover the truth, because the person speaking is a criminal trying to protect their own skin," explains the minister. According to him, the investigation has "questionable police and judicial procedures."

"What is happening in Brazil is that the plea bargain is being selectively leaked, and from the moment a name mentioned by the informant appears, that name is condemned. We have a frightening legal inversion. The plea bargain is being used as a means of judging people. This is very serious from the point of view of the democratic rule of law and due process," criticizes Patrus.

According to the minister, the PT (Workers' Party) "is currently experiencing the biggest crisis in its history due to the practice of using private resources in electoral campaigns," but he emphasizes that "the behavior of (corrupt) people is not that of the PT." His proposal is that the party acknowledge that "it was a mistake" to accept private donations for electoral campaigns. "It is important that the party puts into practice what it defends," he says.