STF acquits Lula’s minister of embezzlement accusation – 06/06/2023 – Power

The First Panel of the STF (Federal Supreme Court) acquitted minister Waldez Góes (Integration and Regional Development) this Tuesday (6) of an accusation of embezzlement of public money.

Góes had been sentenced by the STJ (Superior Court of Justice) in 2019 to six years and nine months in prison in a semi-open regime for embezzlement. At the time he was governor of Amapá for the PDT.

The STJ decision also determined the return of R$ 6.3 million to public coffers.

Waldez’s defense has always maintained that he is innocent and that the prosecution has not proved the deviations.

Ministers Alexandre de Moraes, Luís Roberto Barroso and Dias Toffoli voted in favor of him. Retired minister Marco Aurélio was voted out.

The governor was accused of embezzling payroll loan amounts from public servants. The money, according to the prosecution, was deducted from salaries and used to cover government expenses, delaying the payment of amounts to creditor banks.

The deviations would have happened in 2009 and 2010, in Waldez’s first term. He returned to office in 2014 and was reappointed in 2018. In 2023, he became Lula’s minister.