Lula maintains state-owned Codevasf as a shop for politicians – 05/21/2023 – Power

The state-owned company Codevasf maintains in the Lula government (PT) the same rhythm of distribution of equipment as in the administration of Jair Bolsonaro (PL), now aggravated by the increase in take-away with deliveries to private entities ranging from religious to prospectors.

The first three months of management show a change in the profile of beneficiaries, with a greater proportion of private entities and a smaller proportion of city halls, thus increasing the risk of irregularities.

Codevasf (Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e do Parnaíba) was handed over to the center by Bolsonaro in exchange for political support, in an arrangement similarly maintained by Lula. In practice, it is about opening positions and funds in exchange for support in Congress.

A Sheet analyzed hundreds of donations made by the state-owned company. Sought after, the entity stated that it follows technical criteria and that donations occur according to demands for each state and the volume of resources from parliamentary amendments destined for this purpose.

Donations made by Codevasf in the first quarter of this year total R$ 106 million, an amount close to R$ 117.6 million in the same period of the 2022 election year, when Bolsonaro opened the gate for the distribution binge of goods bankrolled through the extinct rapporteur amendments.

These values ​​are financed by parliamentary amendments, which irrigate electoral strongholds with tractors, backhoes, vehicles and agricultural kits, among others, without adopting technical criteria.

From January to March, the percentage of deliveries to private entities, such as community associations, cooperatives and unions, almost doubled, jumping from 25% in 2022 to 48% in the Lula administration.

In 2022, city halls led the way in receiving donations, with 74% of the amounts. This year, although they are still ahead, they lost space to private entities, receiving 52% of the values.

Codevasf, which was created with the focus on developing irrigation projects, now benefits even an entity linked to miners.

The Cooperativa de Trabalho Agropecuaristas e Garimpeiros da Bahia, for example, won the equivalent of R$ 211,000 in a kit with an agricultural tractor, hydraulic mower and agricultural trailer. The entity’s headquarters is in the municipality of Quijingue (BA), and its main supporter is the deputy mayor Romerinho (PL).

Romerinho supports Lula and fights with the group for the legalization of mining, which, according to him, has more than 15,000 workers in the region, lacking other sources of income. Recently, he disclosed having participated with an audience group at the National Mining Agency, in Brasília, to address the issue.

“Everyone involved, in addition to being miners, are farmers, they work in family farming, not just cooperative members and members’ families,” said Romerinho.

“Even because, if we did not have the agricultural activity in the legal nature, we would not be able to receive the equipment. Codevasf held a meeting before signing the term, went to the cooperative, visited the area to be able to prove the need for agricultural equipment .”

The nomination was made by former deputy Marcelo Nilo (Republicanos-BA).

In Aracaju, the headquarters of the Evangelical Home of the Assemblies of God of Sergipe had in mid-March the donation of a Fiat Toro Volcano pickup truck, at a cost of R$ 215,000 to the public coffers.

Who commands the Assembly of God in Sergipe is Pastor Virgínio de Carvalho, who was second alternate for Senator Maria do Carmo Alves (PP). In 2021, he even took office during recess to secure a new diplomatic passport for a trip to Iraq, according to the Politics 360 website.

This delivery by Codevasf is the second in less than two years. In September 2021, the evangelical home had already received a bus at a cost of R$ 440 thousand, in updated value.

wanted by Sheetthe state-owned company stated that, “despite being known for working in development projects involving irrigation and the like, Codevasf also works on other social fronts, both directly and through other legal entities, such as Lar Evangélico”.

“All the acts of Lar Evangélico, including the receipt of the aforementioned vehicle, took place within the limits of its rights and obligations”, he added.

Another religious entity that benefited this year from a donation from Codevasf in Sergipe was Cáritas Arquidiocesana de Aracaju. She received a Fiat Strada Endurance pickup, worth R$ 102,000.

On the occasion, the regional superintendent of the state-owned company, Marcos Alves Filho, highlighted the assistance nature of the measure, in a publication on a social network.

“Today, Codevasf delivered a vehicle to Cáritas Arquidiocesana de Aracaju. With that, we make our contribution to the actions of the social projects developed by the Archdiocese. Happy to be able to help Cáritas to carry out its role. The entity provides an important service to the vulnerable population,” he said.

The practice of distributing donations to private entities involves greater risks of misuse and deviations, compared to donations to city halls or other public entities, since inspection is more difficult when the products leave the sphere of the Public Power.

An audit by the CGU (Controladoria Geral da União) carried out in 2022 and released earlier this year found that vehicles and equipment donated by Codevasf ended up in private properties and were used against fees and even destined for entities headed by politicians.

The investigation pointed to a risk of deviations in equipment donations to associations, which are made without any criteria or technical study and without monitoring its destination.

In addition to donating vehicles to city halls, the state-owned company also benefits private entities with deliveries that include bakery kits and freezers, aluminum boats, vans, dump trucks, garbage trucks, tractors, agricultural implements, motor graders and backhoe loaders.

Among the unusual items are office supplies, notebooks, sewing machines, tents for fairs and even a cake mixer. To facilitate the flow of values, Codevasf even created a catalog of goods for politicians to choose how to please their strongholds and indicate to the state-owned company where, when and how to spend.

For auditors, this type of unsupervised practice entails the risk of undue advantages and deviations.

Product distribution is based on technical advice, says state

Questioned about the fact of delivering goods to entities such as an association of miners or religious entities, Codevasf stated in a note 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”.

On the greater difficulty of inspecting goods distributed to private entities, the state-owned company replied that “after the donation, Codevasf monitors the use of goods for the purposes for which they were donated, by sampling. In addition, complaints of possible misuse of donated equipment , or misuse of purpose, may be forwarded by any citizen to the Codevasf Ombudsman”.

“The company spares no effort to ensure the proper use of goods destined for regional development initiatives”, completed Codevasf.

Sought by the report, Cáritas de Aracaju did not respond to the request for manifestation.

Collaborated with Nicholas Pretto

The report was produced in partnership with Google from collections of documents published in the Pinpoint tool