Renan says that Centrão parliamentarians tried to blackmail the TCU (Federal Court of Accounts) to reverse the liquidation of Banco Master.
According to the senator, Hugo Motta must explain why he pressured a sector of the TCU (Federal Court of Accounts) to reduce the rigor of the audit in the Banco Master case.
247 - The president of the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee (CAE), Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL), stated this Wednesday (4) that he contacted the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) to obtain more information about allegations of political pressure against the oversight of the liquidation of Banco Master by the Central Bank (BC) of Brazil. According to the parliamentarian, the accusation involved members of the Centrão and leaders of the Chamber of Deputies, in order to reverse the liquidation.
In an interview with CNN Brazil, Renan Calheiros stated that the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), needs to provide public explanations about the episode. The senator affirmed that Motta must explain "why he pressured a sector of the Federal Court of Accounts" to reduce the rigor of the oversight related to possible financial fraud involving Banco Master.
“I’m not the best person to talk about Congressman Hugo Motta, president of the Chamber of Deputies. But I think that before deciding whether or not to install the commission, he needs to decide and explain why he pressured a sector of the Federal Court of Accounts to liquidate the Central Bank. The leaders of the Chamber are being accused of participating in this blackmail, this pressure, and yesterday I was at the Court of Accounts precisely to request the data that will abundantly demonstrate this,” said Calheiros in the interview.
The legislator also stated that the court's role is essential to guarantee legality and transparency in high-impact financial operations, such as the liquidation of banking institutions.
“The Court of Auditors was blackmailed into liquidating the liquidation. Openly, in broad daylight, the Chamber's leaders tried to vote on raising the FGC [Credit Guarantee Fund] to R$ 1 million as part of this pressure,” he stated. The FGC is the insurance paid to investors in cases of bank failure. The fund currently covers up to R$ 250 per investor.
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The Central Bank ordered the liquidation of Banco Master last November. The case is the subject of Operation Compliance Zero, conducted by the Federal Police. The investigation is looking into a financial fraud scheme allegedly based on the granting of false loans. According to investigators' estimates, the irregularities may have involved up to R$ 17 billion.
Banco Master belongs to former banker Daniel Vorcaro, who is currently under house arrest as part of the investigations. The investigations are ongoing, and the case has broadened the debate about the role of regulatory bodies and the potential for political interference in financial oversight processes.
