TCU accepts Congressional request to investigate Bolsonaro’s secret spending

The Federal Court of Auditors (TCU) decided this Wednesday (15) to investigate the confidential expenses of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) from October to December 2022. The request was submitted to the Court of Accounts by the Financial Inspection Commission and Control (CFFC) of the Chamber of Deputies at the request of deputy Elias Vaz (PSB-GO).

The TCU pointed out in a report the increase in likes during the election period. “Given the significant increase in CPGF expenses [Cartão de Pagamento do Governo Federal] during election periods, it requires inspection to verify the legality and legitimacy of these expenses”, says the document.

According to the commission’s report, the Presidency’s expenses with confidential CPGF expenses until November 8, 2022 amounted to BRL 22,751,636.53, “and in the months of August to October (election period) expenses reached BRL 9,188,642.20, which would correspond to an average monthly expenditure of BRL 3,062,880.73, corresponding to an increase of 108% in relation to the average monthly expenditure of 2021 (BRL 1,574,509.64)”.

The TCU also determined the opening of continuous inspection of expenditures on the Presidency of the Republic’s corporate card, “in the follow-up mode”, at the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic, at the Personal Office of the President of the Republic, at the Institutional Security Office, contemplating the role of Banco do Brasil “as an expense operator”. The document was signed by the president of the TCU, Minister Bruno Dantas, and the rapporteur of the case, Minister Antonio Anastasia.

“Given the relevance of this topic, it is reasonable to assume that new requests from the National Congress, representations and complaints by parliamentarians, authorities and citizens will be formulated, with new processes being filed in this Court of Accounts. That said, it is understood that The best way to meet such recurring demand is through continuous inspection, in the follow-up mode, which will allow the concomitant control of CPGF expenses”, says the TCU.