Lula’s minister says he returned daily allowance – 03/02/2023 – Power

The Minister of Communications, Juscelino Filho, said that he returned the travel allowances he made to Maranhão, his home state, and São Paulo, in which he had few agendas and took the opportunity to spend the weekend. As a result, the minister received more per diems (funds) even without having a public agenda.

“The daily rates for the trip have already been returned [para São Paulo]. The greatest proof that there is no illegality on the part of the minister is the fact that on 01/19/23, for example, he returned per diems related to the flight to Maranhão. That is, a fact that occurred more than a month before the press dealt with a subject of this nature”, said, in a note, the minister.

The minister was appointed to the post by his party, União Brasil. The position was offered to the acronym in the quest of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) for a larger base in the National Congress.

The trip to Maranhão took place between the 12th and 16th of January, while the one to São Paulo was between the 26th and 30th of the same month.

In this second case, the minister had only two official agendas and took advantage of his stay in São Paulo to participate in an event related to Quarter Horses, as revealed by the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo. Juscelino Filho is a breeder of animals of the breed.

“Subsequent to the fulfillment of the official agenda, the Minister enjoyed, yes, his right to practice activities of a private nature in São Paulo. Therefore, it is unacceptable to suggest any illegal, nor immoral practice of public authority when enjoying his time off to participate in any commitment, in the case in question”, said the minister on the subject.

The minister went and returned to São Paulo on FAB planes. This happened, explained the Ministry of Communications, because “the minister went to São Paulo (SP) to fulfill an official agenda, of public interest, as disclosed in the media of this ministry”

Regarding the return, two days after the last official agenda in the city, the minister said that “there is no obstacle to his return to Brasília on 01/30, via FAB, since the minister returned on a shared flight requested by the Ministry of Work”.

The practice of staying longer at the beginning or end of trips and thus inflating daily rates is not restricted to domestic flights. The minister has done the same on the two international trips he has taken since taking office, one to Portugal and the other to Spain, where he is at the moment.