Discomfort marks Demosthenes' return to the MP-GO (Public Prosecutor's Office of Goiás

Goiás247 - Discomfort and the threat of docked pay marked today's return of Demóstenes Torres (former DEM) to his routine as a Public Prosecutor in the Public Ministry of the State of Goiás. Early in the morning, members of the press lined up near room 306 of the office to record the former senator's return to the position that propelled him into public life. He only arrived at work after 10:30 am, after completing the five working days of leave for personal reasons that he requested on the 13th.

Starting at 10 a.m., prompted by journalists, members of the General Inspectorate of the Goiás Public Prosecutor's Office considered cutting Demóstenes Torres's pay if he "skipped" Friday off. According to sources within the Public Prosecutor's Office, prosecutors do not have set hours for their duties. However, they must be present in their respective offices, even if only for half an hour, to avoid the embarrassment of being punished for being absent from work.

Upon arriving at the Public Prosecutor's office, located on Rua 23, in the Jardim Goiás neighborhood of Goiânia, Torres became irritated by the harassment from journalists and the threats of having his pay docked. The cordiality that the former senator displayed in the corridors of the National Congress was replaced by rudeness. He ignored the journalists, refused to grant interviews, and showed displeasure at not finding either of the two staff members assigned to assist him in this new endeavor in the office.

Yesterday, Demóstenes Torres only received friends and took the first steps towards resuming his duties as head of the 27th Public Prosecutor's Office, where he will dedicate himself to criminal matters. The Goiás Public Prosecutor's Office employs 300 people, including prosecutors and attorneys.

Torres's troubles will continue in the coming days as proceedings advance following the disciplinary complaint filed by the General Inspectorate of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The objective is to investigate "any possible breach of official duty," based on information released following Operation Monte Carlo by the Federal Police. The investigation is confidential, and documents have already been requested from the Federal Senate and the Attorney General's Office.

There are three scenarios regarding the future of the ousted senator. He could be removed from office, retain his position, or, in an intermediate decision, receive a warning that would not result in the loss of his position as a public prosecutor.

Former Senator Demóstenes Torres has become one of the central figures since the revelations of wiretaps obtained by Operation Monte Carlo, launched after a 15-month investigation led by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Goiás and the Federal Police in the Federal District. The operation managed to dismantle the criminal organization commanded by the Goiás businessman Carlos Augusto Ramos, known as Carlinhos Cachoeira, who was arrested on February 29 of this year and is currently suffering from depression in the Papuda prison in Brasília (DF).

Cachoeira had already drawn national attention when he was caught on video negotiating bribes with Waldomiro Diniz, a trusted associate of the then Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic, José Dirceu, who was accused by the president of the PTB party and expelled congressman Roberto Jefferson (RJ) of being the mastermind behind the mensalão scandal, the vote-buying scheme involving parliamentarians that generated the worst political crisis during the administration of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), between 2005 and 2006. The trial of the scandal in the Supreme Federal Court (STF) will begin on August 2nd.