Alcolumbre substitute wins R$354 million project under Lula

The National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) authorized a construction company in Amapá linked to senator Davi Alcolumbre’s deputy (União-AP) to execute contracts totaling R$268 million in works between the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024.

An investigation of the Newspaper published this Tuesday (16) shows that LB Construções, owned by Amapá politician Breno Chaves Pinto (União-AP) also received three Codevasf notices totaling R$ 86.5 million.

Alcolumbre is president of the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Senate responsible for forwarding important votes including the troubled hearing of Minister Flávio Dino, of Justice and Public Security, when he was appointed to the position of magistrate of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), under strong opposition protest. On that occasion, the senator scheduled the inquiry together with that of Paulo Gonet Branco, then also nominated by President Lula for the position of Attorney General of the Republic (PGR).

A People’s Gazette, Codevasf reported that the budget allocated to the company by the Executive and Legislative Powers “is executed in a transparent manner, with procedures that ensure savings and efficiency”. Davi Alcolumbre said that the contracting and execution of public contracts and agreements are exclusive responsibilities of the Executive Branch, which analyzes proposals in the bidding processes.

The Dnit stated that it follows the legislation related to public procurement and that “it is not the body responsible for prohibiting or allowing the participation of companies or individuals in tenders, and it is not the authority’s responsibility to investigate [investigação minuciosa] in any ongoing investigations”.

The investigation shows that the contracts signed between Dnit and LB Construções include services for improving and updating the pavement on a section of BR-156, approved by the council after approval from Alcolumbre. Codevasf’s works involve concrete block paving and asphalt in municipalities in Amapá.

Another investigation this Tuesday (16) shows that Codevasf’s coffers were irrigated with R$5.3 billion from parliamentary amendments for the execution of mainly paving projects, although the state-owned company has a historical vocation in the area of ​​irrigation and water security. The large amount was sent through tenders in the pre-election year to City Halls and City Councils.

In August last year, Alcolumbre celebrated on social media the release of Dnit funds for works in Amapá, thanking President Lula “for the opportunity to release significant resources for us to carry out this work that is so important for the state”. Two months later, he published a note celebrating the resources “articulated by himself”.

Breno Chaves Pinto already had another company, Rio Pedreira, hired in 2022 for an agreement between the government of Amapá and Codevasf, using amendment funds from Alcolumbre. Rio Pedreira was targeted by the Federal Police in Operation Candidus 2, in December 2022, due to suspected overbilling in a contract with Dnit.

The PF also pointed out suspicions of fraud in the purchase and sale of wood by the Breno company. Alcolumbre, godfather of appointments in the Lula government, stated that there was no evidence of overpricing in the execution or in the Rio Pedreira contract.

The deputy, also associated with a bank loan of R$740,000 seized by the PF, denied irregularities and claimed to be a victim of a company subcontracted in the operation.