Codevasf donated BRL 106 million in the first quarter to private institutions, says newspaper

Codevasf, a state-owned company dedicated to irrigation and development programs in the Brazilian semi-arid region and commonly used for political articulations, donated R$ 106 million to private institutions in the first quarter of this year alone. The calculation of Newspaperpublished this Monday (22), shows that the company has changed the focus on the distribution of resources that, until last year, were mostly sent to city halls.

According to the survey, city halls in areas served by Codevasf received 52% of transfers this year, against 74% of what was registered in 2022. Farmers and Gold Miners from Bahia, which would have received equipment valued at R$ 211,000.

The cooperative is headquartered in the municipality of Quijingue (BA) and has the deputy mayor Romerinho (PL) as a supporter. The politician is also in favor of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and militates with a group for the legalization of mining in the region – there would be more than 15,000 prospectors, according to him.

The investigation also points out that the state of Bahia was the most benefited by Codevasf resources in the first quarter of this year, with transfers totaling R$ 41.8 million. The state gave 72% of the votes to Lula in the second round of the 2022 election.

In addition to Bahia, Codevasf also forwarded resources to religious entities in Sergipe, including the Assembly of God led by Pastor Virgínio de Carvalho, who was the second alternate for Senator Maria do Carmo Alves (PP) in 2021.

An audit by the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) carried out in 2022 and released earlier this year points out that vehicles and equipment donated by Codevasf ended up in private properties and were used against fees and destined for entities headed by politicians.

In a note, the state-owned company stated that the donation of machinery and equipment to non-profit entities occurs “when there is a favorable technical opinion and alignment between the purpose of the good and the activities indicated in the statute of the beneficiary institution”.

Codevasf also says that it monitors the use of donated goods by sampling and that complaints of possible misuse can be forwarded to the organ’s ombudsman.