Minister Kassio Nunes Marques, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), voted on Friday (29) against the appeal presented by senators against the dismissal of the preliminary investigation involving the former deputy Ricardo Barros, accused of irregularities in the purchase of vaccines against Covid -19. Barros, who was leader of the Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government in the Chamber, was the subject of investigations by the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry on Covid (CPI).
The appeal was presented by senators Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP) and Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL). They ask that the dismissal decision, issued in June 2023, at the request of the General Prosecutor’s Office (PGR), be reconsidered, requesting the opening of an investigation.
According to the parliamentarians, the CPI’s final report presents “strong indications” that Barros had been part of a criminal organization aimed at obtaining illicit advantages through fraud in procurement or public procurement. The senators argue that the evidence collected must be analyzed broadly, taking into account the group’s alleged modus operandi.
The suspicion raised by the CPI was that Barros had committed the crime of joining a criminal organization in the process of negotiating the Covaxin vaccine, the most expensive one negotiated by the Ministry of Health. The negotiation was marred by accusations of irregularities, which placed the first deputy at the center of the investigation.
In his vote, Nunes Marques maintained the understanding that the case should not be reopened, since the Public Prosecutor (MP), in charge of bringing a possible complaint, had already asked for the case to be closed. According to him, the PGR did not find any evidence justifying the continuation of the investigation.
“The Attorney General’s Office, in examining all the evidence produced by the extinct Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19, found no evidence of the participation of federal deputy Ricardo Barros in a criminal act, nor the need for further measures that can justify the continuation of the criminal action,” Nunes Marques said.
The judge emphasized that the application was supported by the PGR and that this decision cannot be ignored. “I don’t see how to refuse the promotion of the dismissal made by the Public Prosecutor”, reiterated the minister, who also established that the investigations relating to entrepreneurs and employees of the Ministry of Health, named in the same context, be sent to the first instance of the Court federal government for the continuation of the investigation.
The appeal will be judged by the STF in a virtual session, which began on Friday 29th and will last until 6 December. In this format, ministers do not debate each other and their votes are submitted through an electronic system.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
