Brazil’s president of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Minister Nelson Jobin, denied yesterday a request for the preventive arrest of Marcos Valério Fernandes, accused of being responsible for an alleged monthly payoff scheme involving members of the Congress.
The Brazilian Federal Police requested his arrest on Tuesday, July 26.
According to information from the STF’s press office, Jobin judged that the request for Valério’s arrest should come not from the Federal Police but from the Federal Attorney-General’s Office.
Yesterday, members of the Joint Congressional Investigation Commission that is looking into the affairs of the Post Office met with Federal Attorney-General, Antônio Fernando Souza, to request Valério’s prison as well.
Souza said, however, that more proof is needed in order to submit the prior arrest request to the STF.
Withdrawals Investigations
Beginning on Monday, August 1st, the Federal Police will start taking testimonies from people who made withdrawals from accounts belonging to the Brazilian advertising agent, Marcos Valério, in the Rural Bank.
Valério, who is a partner in the SMP&B and DNA advertising agencies, was fingered by Federal Congressman, Roberto Jefferson from the PTB party of Rio de Janeiro, as responsible for monthly allowance payments to members of the Congress.
According to Federal Police Commissioner Luiz Flávio Zampronho, the first individuals to be called will be the ones who withdrew the largest sums of money from Valério’s accounts.
Hearings will be held simultaneously in Brasília and São Paulo.
The investigation into Valério’s businesses was assigned to the Federal Police by the Federal Supreme Court, at the request of the Federal Attorney-General’s Office (PGR).
Agência Brasil