After meeting with Galípolo, Renan says he will request information from the Central Bank about Banco Master.
The senator says he may request authorization from the full House to access classified data, noting that it is the CAE's responsibility to oversee the financial system.
Reuters - The chairman of the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee, Senator Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL), stated this Wednesday that the committee will request information from the Central Bank regarding Banco Master and, if necessary, will ask the full Senate for authorization to access confidential data, noting that it is the CAE's responsibility to oversee the financial system.
"We will... request all information from the investigations being conducted on Master, including confidential information, and if there is a need to break confidentiality from the CAE's point of view, from the investigation, we will ask the plenary of the Federal Senate to authorize it," Renan said in an interview with journalists at the BC headquarters after a meeting with the head of the institution, Gabriel Galípolo.
On Wednesday, the CAE (Committee on Economic Affairs) presented a work plan to begin investigations regarding Master Bank. The committee will request documents and hearings from those under investigation, authorities, and agents involved in the investigations to help clarify the irregularities committed by the bank.
The senator stated that he went to the Central Bank to request access to information and to seek technical assistance from the institution. According to him, the president of the monetary authority showed himself open to collaborating with the CAE (Committee on Economic Affairs) and providing information about the process that led to the liquidation of Master Bank.
"(Galípolo) was very helpful, because he quickly became convinced that the role of the commission is to strengthen the Central Bank," he said.
When questioned about the legislative procedure for lifting confidentiality, the senator said that the committee's next steps on this matter have not yet been established.
Renan said that next week he plans to visit the president of the Supreme Federal Court, Minister Edson Fachin, and the director-general of the Federal Police, Andrei Rodrigues, also to request technical advice and information on existing investigations.
The senator also emphasized that he is not against the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the financial institution.
"We are not against the establishment of a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI). I signed the existing CPI requests. The work of the CAE commission and the CPIs are complementary."
On Tuesday, a group of senators met with the president of the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU), Vital do Rêgo, to discuss the issue. Last month, he reiterated that the TCU will conduct an inspection of the Master liquidation process.
Banco Master was subject to extrajudicial liquidation decreed by the Central Bank on November 18, and its owner was even arrested in an operation launched by the Federal Police to investigate suspected billion-dollar frauds. Vorcaro was later released, but is subject to precautionary measures.
