International trips by the president of TCU cost R$ 1 million

The international trips of the president of the Federal Audit Court (TCU), Bruno Dantas, accompanied by advisors, cost R$ 1.1 million until May. Tickets and per diems for Dantas totaled R$ 328,000. In five months, he spent 46 days abroad. He has been to New York, Berlin, Bonn, Vienna, Prague, Panama City, Rabat (Morocco) and Koror (Palau). He is quoted for the next seat on the Federal Supreme Court (STF).

The most expensive trip was to New York, at the end of May, for the official launch of TCU’s candidacy for the next seat on the Board of Auditors of the United Nations (UN), in New York. The expenses of the entourage of two ministers and six advisors totaled R$ 320,000, of which R$ 193,000 in airline tickets.

Dantas and two advisors were at the Representation of the Organization of Control Institutions (Intosai), at technical meetings on data analysis, in Prague, Vienna, Bonn and Berlin. The trip cost R$ 222,000, with R$ 130,000 in daily rates.

The participation of Dantas and Minister Walton Alencar in the General Assembly of the Organization of Pacific Control Institutions, in Koror (Palau), cost R$ 251,000, with R$ 150,000 in tickets. Walton’s ticket cost R$53,000. Its 10 daily stays totaled R$38,000 – R$3,800 per unit. Dantas’ ticket cost R$44,000.

The trips of eight court ministers cost R$970,000. The expenses of the 19 advisors who accompanied the ministers added up to over R$ 1.1 million, closing the account at R$ 2 million. The national trips for the institutional representation of the ministers cost another R$ 116,000.

The advisor’s expenses and “stretching”

The expenses of civil servants who advise ministers are also high. On the trip to Koror, Elaine Dantas received BRL 37,000 for 11.5 nights – BRL 3,200 per unit. Her airfare cost R$49,600, bringing the bill to R$86,000. The event ended on March 3, but she returned to Brazil on the 6th – a “stretch”, but without receiving any per diem. On the trip to Prague, Vienna… Elaine received R$ 49,000 for 11.5 nights.

Elaine accompanied ministers Dantas and Jorge Oliveira to a four-day event, from March 13 to 16, in Rabat (Morocco), for a meeting of the Intosai Working Group on Environmental Auditing. Her ticket cost R$ 28 thousand. But she left on the 9th and returned on the 18th – a total of ten days. She received 7.5 days in the total amount of BRL 25.5 thousand.

As he accompanied most of the trips of the president of the court, he was out of the country for 50 days. In five missions, he received 43 days worth a total of R$ 143,000. Her tickets totaled R$192,000. A total expense of BRL 307 thousand.

The 29 trips abroad by public servants without accompanying ministers totaled R$ 1 million. Of the total, 26 were related to “institutional relationships”. Only three were for “internal control”, for inspection by military commissions headquartered in Washington. The mission cost R$96,000, R$74,000 of which with the payment of 35 days.

Some server trips without ministers were also expensive. The ticket for Fábio Barros on the trip to Canberra (Australia), for the International Meeting of Performance Audit Critical Thinkers, cost BRL 60 thousand. Luciano Danni’s ticket to the Senior Officers Meeting, in Guwahati (India), came to R$56,000. At the same event, Junnius Arifa’s ticket was R$ 55,000. The trip cost R$ 147 thousand.

Dantas can leave TCU

Bruno Dantas is among the strongest candidates for the vacancy of STF Minister Rosa Weber. According to a report by Wesley Oliveira, from Gazeta do Povo, the TCU president is seen inside the Planalto Palace as one of the names that should emerge as a favorite for the next vacancy that will open in the Supreme Court, in October, with the retirement of Minister Rosa Weber .

Dantas pleased PT members for his actions against the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL). At the end of last year, in a ceremony at TCU, without citing Bolsonaro, the jurist said that the country has experienced a “true civilizing setback” in recent years. He is also a critic of the Lava Jato operation. He recently said that the defunct task force had “exaggeratedly broadened” its scope, creating “widespread criminalization” against politicians.