Planalto appoints advisor linked to Palocci’s fall – 01/17/2023 – Politics

The Planalto Palace appointed, this Tuesday (17), Jeter Ribeiro de Souza, linked to the scandal that led to the fall of Antonio Palocci from the government in 2006, to work in the office of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT).

The former manager of Caixa Econômica Federal was involved in breaking the bank secrecy of the caretaker Francenildo Costa, by accessing and printing a copy of his statement.

His nomination was published in this Tuesday’s Official Gazette, signed by the Minister of Civil Affairs, Rui Costa. Souza’s position of trust has a remuneration of R$ 10,373.30.

The case involving breach of secrecy led to the fall, in March 2006, of the then Minister of Finance, Antonio Palocci.

An internal process was opened at Caixa and Souza did not suffer any penalty. He even gave testimony to the Federal Police, but was not part of the process.

The bank’s ethics committee assessed that both the then manager and other employees involved in the case were complying with the determination of a hierarchical superior, and that, therefore, they did not infringe Caixa rules.

Five years later, Souza also joined the cabinet of then-president Dilma Rousseff (PT), as advisor to the deputy cabinet for Information in Support of the President’s Decision.

At the time, Souza told Sheet just having followed orders from the then president of the bank, Jorge Mattoso. “It was a request from the president. I could not refuse to comply with the order to withdraw the statement.”

He classified the act as “ordinary” and said he had not practiced breach of secrecy, as he kept the information he obtained in the bank. He further stated that he did not know what would be done with the extract.

Francenildo’s confidentiality was broken after the caretaker stated that Palocci frequented a house in Brasília where, according to him, there would be parties and the distribution of bribes.

The bank statement was leaked to Época magazine, which published a report in which the caretaker had received transfers of R$ 25,000 during the period in which he denounced the minister.

After the case came to light, Francenildo said that the money was donated by his father, who confirmed the version.

In 2009, the STF cleared Palocci for lack of evidence, by five votes to four. He was later arrested in Operation Lava Jato and broke with the PT and Lula.

Planalto e Souza were approached, but declined to comment.