Judge Moro orders release of executives arrested in new phase of Lava Jato operation.

Felipe Luchete, from Conjur Three executives arrested last week in a new phase of Operation Lava Jato are expected to be released in the coming hours, according to a decision by federal judge Sergio Moro. "With the search and seizure operations and the collection of testimonies exhausted, there is no longer a need for temporary detention," the judge concluded this Monday (February 9th).

The precautionary measures were set to expire this Monday for Gilson João Pereira, partner and president of the Santa Catarina-based company Arxo, and Sérgio Ambrósio Maçaneiro, one of the company's directors. The deadline was set to end next Tuesday (February 10th) for João Gualberto Pereira, one of the partners of the company, which supplies fuel tanks to BR Distribuidora, a subsidiary of Petrobras.

The three executives are prohibited from leaving the country or being away from their homes for more than 30 days without authorization, and they are also prohibited from contacting a former Arxo employee who is a witness in the investigations.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office did not request preventive detention (with an indefinite term). This measure goes against the approach of many of the defendants in the "Lava Jato" corruption scandal, who remain imprisoned under the claim that they should be prevented from committing alleged crimes. The list includes executives from major construction companies, former Petrobras director Nestor Cerveró, and money launderer Alberto Youssef.