Vargas to 247: "Aécio already had a fiefdom at Caixa"

Paraná 247 - Congressman André Vargas (PT-PR) says he is outraged by the interview given yesterday by Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG), in which the presidential candidate announced a lawsuit against Caixa Econômica Federal, due to inactive accounts that were closed (read more). hereAccording to Aécio, Caixa "owes explanations to Brazil" because of what he called "confiscation." He also stated that "the occupation of positions by fiefdoms that support the government harms the management of public companies like Caixa."

Vargas's "outrage" stems from the fact that Aécio Neves was a director of the Caixa Econômica Federal (Brazilian Federal Savings Bank) at the age of 24, appointed by José Sarney after the death of his grandfather, Tancredo Neves. "Senator Aécio, before criticizing a bank like Caixa, should have looked at his own biography," said the congressman from Paraná. "He was a director of the bank when he was still a recently graduated young man, with the only credential on his resume being that he was Tancredo's grandson."

His involvement with Caixa is mentioned in Aécio's official biography (see below). hereThe text states that, in 1985, "after the death of Tancredo Neves, he was appointed director of the Caixa Econômica Federal and president of the Commission for the International Year of Youth."

That year, Aécio was appointed to the directorship then held by Jorge Murad, who was Sarney's son-in-law, and became a personal advisor to the then President of the Republic. "Aécio, yes, had a fiefdom at Caixa Econômica Federal," says André Vargas.

The congressman further states that Aécio's press conference reflects "his animosity towards state-owned companies." According to him, "the PSDB's project contemplates the resumption of an interrupted agenda, which includes the privatization of state-owned banks."

Regarding the closing of inactive accounts, he says the procedure is "normal and adopted by all public and private banks."

The PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) announced legal action to investigate whether there was "reckless management" at the bank. The party also intends to summon the bank's president, Jorge Hereda, and the Finance Minister, Guido Mantega, to provide explanations before Congress.

Within the PSDB party, Senator Cássio Cunha Lima (PSDB-PB), vice-president of the party, released a statement defending Aécio. Read it here:

It is regrettable that Congressman André Vargas has launched yet another gratuitous attack against Senator Aécio Neves, who defended the rights of the 500 small savers at Caixa Econômica Federal. But the style of the PT congressman, who resorts to aggression to avoid debate, is already very well known to Brazilians.

Senator Aécio was once a director at Caixa Econômica Federal (a Brazilian bank), and probably for that reason, he felt as, or even more, indignant than all of us about the confiscation of the savings of 500 Brazilians by the institution's management.

Congressman André Vargas lied when he said the procedure was regular and adopted by all banks. The Comptroller General of the Union and technicians from the Central Bank said the practice was irregular, and other banks have stated in the press that they have never adopted this procedure.

Instead of attacking the senator, the congressman should have attacked the technicians from the Central Bank and the Comptroller General's Office (CGU), and the representatives of other financial institutions, but he doesn't have the courage to do so. He prefers to try to hide the seriousness of the matter, pretending it's merely a political debate. It's not. It's just another scandal from this government that needs to be investigated. No amount of bravado will prevent that.

Senator Cássio Cunha Lima (PB)
National Vice-President of the PSDB