Children of Lira and PF target mediated with Saúde – 06/15/2023 – Power

Children of the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and his ally Luciano Cavalcante, the target of a Federal Police operation on deviations in robotics kit contracts, represent media companies that received about R$ 6.5 million in advertising campaigns by the Ministry of Health.

Arthur Lira Filho, 23, and Maria Cavalcante, 25, are partners at Omnia 360, a company that negotiates with advertising agencies hired by the government to distribute campaigns for media outlets —for example, billboards or the internet.

The mayor’s son’s company receives a portion of the payment made by the agencies contracted by the ministry to these media companies. The value is discussed between Omnia and the represented vehicle.

The centrão, a group led by Lira, wants President Lula (PT) to change the leadership of the Ministry of Health to house members of parties such as PP and União Brasil. Lula, according to allies, plans to shield minister Nísia Trindade (who has no party affiliation).

Government political articulators, however, admit that at least the portfolio’s secretariats should be negotiated. The centrão aims to control the release of amendments and the billionaire health budget.

The president of the Chamber has sought to disassociate himself from both targets of suspicion of the PF for robotic kit contracts and interference in the government. At the beginning of the month, he stated that each one is “responsible for their CPF in this land and in this country”.

Lira Filho and Maria Cavalcante opened Omnia in 2021. They have a third partner, publicist Ana Magalhães.

In a note, the company said that “it is a representation of media vehicles like dozens that operate in the advertising market in Brasília” and stated that neither Lira nor Luciano Cavalcante interfere in business.

Omnia customers received BRL 3.09 million for Saúde advertising campaigns in 2021 and another BRL 3.24 million the following year.

The same vehicles earned BRL 235,000 in 2023, the first year of the Lula administration. The values ​​were released by the Ministry of Health after a request made by the Sheet via the Freedom of Information Act.

A Sheet it raised, also via the Access Law, the meetings at the Ministry of Health in which Lira’s son and his partner participated.

Lira Filho was present at at least four meetings to introduce clients to the Ministry of Health’s communication sector. Three of the appointments were held in 2021. The last one took place in April 2023. Maria Cavalcante has been to Saúde at least eight times since 2021.

According to the ministry, the payments were made to two companies represented by Omnia: OPL Digital received around BRL 3.8 million, while RZK Digital earned BRL 2.74 million. Representatives of both also participated in part of the meetings at the Health headquarters.

OPL runs advertising campaigns on cell phones, among other services. She said Omnia receives 15% of the net amounts traded with government agencies, “a standard percentage for all our representatives across Brazil”.

The company further stated that Omnia was selected “after a technical choice”, “without any other motivation”.

RZK displays government advertisements on LED screens. The company said that it “follows the common market practice of acting through commercial representatives in places where it does not have an office, as is the case of Brasília”.

The company stated that it conducts “technical presentation rounds” of its products. “It was in this sense that he participated in a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Health”, said RZK in a note.

Arthur Lira says that Folha is anti-journalism

In a note, the president of the Chamber said that “there is nothing wrong with the functional development of my son’s company, and much less my interference in his business activity”. Lira also stated that she never asked Lula to change the leadership of ministries.

“It is Sheet wanting to make an association about an untrue political fact, in this case requesting it from the Ministry of Health, with personal interests, is speculative, unreasonable, irresponsible and criminal. And this is how it will be treated in legal instances, if it is published with this focus”, said the president of the Chamber.

Lira also said that “the lessons made by Folha de S.Paulo they are not journalism”. “By the way, this is anti-journalism.”

One of the closest assistants to the mayor, Luciano Cavalcante, father of Lira’s son’s partner, was exonerated from the position he held in leading the PP in the House after being targeted by the PF.

Cavalcante was the target of a search and seizure carried out on June 1 as part of an investigation into alleged deviations in contracts for robotics kits funded by the FNDE in the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL). The purchases of the kits were revealed by Sheet in 2022.

One of the suspects is that Luciano and his wife may be beneficiaries of misappropriated amounts.

Lawyer André Callegari, who defends Cavalcante, stated that Lira’s assistant “is not part of the company’s corporate structure [Omnia]”. “So he never acted on her behalf, either in public or private.”

Omnia stated, in a note, that “it is part of its routine to schedule meetings with customers and in the advertising trade to present solutions for the vehicles it represents, with different customers”.

“The company is active in making and supporting a series of training and relationship events, which is consistent with a competitive market performance, without any kind of interference from anyone,” said Omnia.

The Ministry of Health said that it selects vehicles that make up advertising campaigns in accordance with government rules and technical criteria, such as reach and audience.

“The vehicles capable of generating better and more adequate visibility for each message proposed in advertising campaigns are chosen”, said the folder.

Saúde said that there is no differentiated treatment for media companies and that meetings with representatives are common. “These meetings are part of the advertising area’s routine and, on average, around 15 companies are attended per week.”