Petrobras names manager fired amid suspicions of corruption, says newspaper

Petrobras appointed Luís Fernando Nery to Executive Communications Management, where he will be responsible for managing a budget of around R$150 million. Nery held the same position between 2015 and 2016.

According to a report in the newspaper O Globo, he was fired from the company amid suspicions of misappropriation of funds used to finance advertising activities during the 2016 Bahian carnival.

Furthermore, according to O Globo, Nery was fired in 2019, before the end of the investigations, following an agreement with Petrobras.

In a note sent to People’s GazettePetrobras denied any relationship between Nery and the case cited by the newspaper O Globo and stated that the dismissal, in the past, was carried out “in the interest of the company, without any accusation of corruption or through an agreement”.

“Luís Fernando Nery was not the target of an internal investigation commission (CIA) regarding tickets in boxes at the Bahian carnival, as stated in the article. The employee was not accused of corruption, he did not work in the management responsible for the case investigated and the conclusion of the investigation internal department did not attribute any responsibility to the professional”, says an excerpt from the note.

Nery would have returned to Petrobras against the wishes of the compliance committee. In April this year, the president of the state-owned company, Jean Paul Prates, nominated his friend’s name – supposedly at Lula’s request – to the management, but the committee rejected the nomination.

Without the committee’s approval, Prates appointed Nery as special advisor to the presidency. This type of appointment does not require approval.

In practice, over the last five months, Nery has participated in several important decisions regarding the area of ​​communication, for which he was officially appointed as manager on October 1st.

To place his friend in management, Prates used a rule that says that an “eventual replacement” can be appointed when it is necessary to cover the absence of an executive for a maximum period of 180 days.

Before Nery, the Communications management was held by Vânia Gonçalves. Petrobras did not say whether Nery’s appointment will be subject to a new examination after 180 days.

The new manager is also linked to the Frente Única dos Petroleiros (FUP), which has influenced several company decisions under the presidency of Prates.