Video: ‘From a drop they made an ocean’, says Sérgio Cabral – 09/03/2023 – Politics

The gray and white of the prison gave way to a view of the sea in Copacabana, in the south of Rio de Janeiro. The apartment, however, is simple, with a cramped living room with a sofa, two chairs and a small four-seater table. “Less is more”, says Sérgio Cabral.

After six years in prison on charges of corruption, the former governor claims to have come out of jail differently. He is self-critical for his close relationship with businessmen during his tenure (2007-2014) and the purchase of jewelry. He advocates an austere life, without ostentation, whether for public or private agents.

Less is also what he confesses after obtaining freedom.

Three years after assuming that he had led a corruption scheme and trying to become a whistleblower, he resumed the version that the illegal money he used was the result of campaign leftovers, and not bribes.

When asked what Cabral should believe, he replies: “It’s Cabral who’s here talking to you. It’s the truth.”

The former governor is accused of charging 5% bribes in large works and accumulating US$ 100 million in accounts abroad in the name of money changers. Cabral, now, has denied it again. “From a drop they made an ocean. From one situation, the judge makes 35 lawsuits about my public attitudes, he distorts everything.”

He attributes the confession to what he calls torture by prosecutors and judge Marcelo Bretas. “Put me on a macaw stick. Now, don’t mess with my son, my brother, my mother, the mothers of my children. They did it in a fascist, disgusting and cowardly way.”

Last week, he launched an Instagram account where he intends to share his story and current thoughts. He has also been posting daily videos at the gym, a habit he picked up in prison. “I was 105 kg [quando preso] and I’m 89 kg. In addition to losing weight, I changed fat mass for lean mass.”

He says he has no plans to run for office (currently unfeasible due to convictions), but says he is available to act as a consultant for candidates. “I want to be backstage.”

How is this return to freedom going? I have circulated in closed and open places. Even ready for a “hater”, an aggressive guy to commit rudeness. I hope I have Cristiano Zanin’s “fair play” [advogado de Lula] in that bathroom situation, [em] who set an example of education and sobriety. But so far there hasn’t been. On the contrary, many manifestations of affection.

O [ex-presidente da OAB] Felipe Santa Cruz published a photo next to him and then deleted it. Why? He is a dear friend. He called me very happy with my departure. He called me to meet him at a restaurant and took a picture. Afterwards, it seems that there were those who called, people with whom he is politically allied… I don’t want to go into that detail. But they asked him to take it off. Don’t force me to speak. [risos]

Why? Because he’s an important public figure and we shouldn’t draw attention away from him. Need to touch his administration.

It was the [prefeito] Eduardo Paes? It’s you saying. [risos]

In the caption, Santa Cruz wrote about “years of injustice”. Mr. do you feel wronged? Very. From a drop they made an ocean. From one situation, Judge Bretas makes 35 lawsuits about my public attitudes, distorts everything, lies and confuses. I never overpriced. Is box two wrong? It’s wrong. But the service providers said backstage: “Governor, this is the first time that we have someone here who doesn’t want to be our partner”.

But I made mistakes and I have to face them, as I did. I was unjustly imprisoned for six years given the circumstances and the number of processes that this person invented for me.

Mr. Are you still interested in being a whistleblower? None, I abhor betrayal. In 2019, it was completely devastated. Destroyed family, broken marriage, persecuted son. I had been in prison for almost three years and I was manipulated. Thank God the Supreme [Tribunal Federal] made her invalid. I reiterate my apologies to the aforementioned persons. I do not carry with me the burden of this story.

His denunciation had 45 attachments. Mr. invented 45 stories? I won’t go into those details.

Mr. talked about President Lula… It’s cancelled.

But what mistakes did Mr. confess? We are in a very intense struggle to face these processes, to show the illegality and incompetence of the judge. I don’t want to talk about it while walking. Judge Bretas himself is under investigation by the National Council of Justice.

Mr. Did you experience any pressure from him? We’ll let the CNJ investigate, but I’ve already made a notarized statement in which I tell an episode, step by step, of the approach the judge delegated to his partner, the lawyer Nythalmar [Dias Filho]the trip to Bangu 8 to make me an offer to return my heritage [em troca de] his decision as a result.

The 7th Rod’s method is fascist and illegal. The prosecutors and the judge abused their powers a lot.

When the press is amused, when artists and celebrities start clapping, editorials and support acts… It’s a blank check. “Go ahead, use any method.” This climate contaminated the entire process for the deliberate, arrogant and anti-democratic daring of this Lava Jato group.

In government, Mr. also felt like a blank check? No, I was always controlled by the media, by the Powers and above all by democracy. I was controlled by the population who gave me 70% of votes in re-election.

“Ah, how could this guy who did all this…”. Did all this what? Seven hospitals? 55 UPAs? Did you bring the World Cup and the Olympics? What is the Sérgio Cabral you are talking about?

Is it possible to separate the Cabral who carried out works from the one who, according to investigations, accumulated US$ 100 million abroad? Is it in my name? I had people in cashier two who helped me. The father of these two boys [os doleiros Renato e Marcelo Chebar] he was married to my secretary. They helped me with the money from cashier two. These guys took care of a lot of people.

This position is what Mr. gave in the first testimonials. It is the truth. Because when he starts torturing the family, the hole is a little lower. If you want to torture me, put me on a macaw stick. Now, don’t mess with my son, my brother, my mother, the mothers of my children. They did it in a fascist, disgusting, cowardly way.

When mr. confessed, he said: “In the name of my family, God and history, I have decided to speak the truth”. Which Cabral to believe? It’s Cabral who’s here talking to you. That’s the truth.

Isn’t the $100 million the Chebar brothers returned yours? Where is it written that it’s mine? Where is it documented? How can someone leave US$ 100 million with someone else and not have a document, a “side letter”. They couldn’t prove it.

What is your plan today for the future? I have no political pretensions. I was a manager for 30 years. I intend to pursue a career as a journalist, consultant. Collaborate both in private management and even in campaigns.

What advice would you give to President Lula? Lula has some opportunities that at 77 years old he cannot waste. “What is the legacy I’m going to deliver? I’m going to lower interest rates, increase income distribution, fight extreme poverty.” Perfect.

It’s already a lot, but he must build a behavioral agenda. Discuss the legalization of marijuana. It is less harmful than cachaça or whiskey.

Discuss the legalization of gambling. “Oh, it’s a money laundering scheme.” You launder money with cattle, farms, buying television, radio, ghost companies, whatever you want.

In prison, did you see something that should have been different? There is a serious problem in Brazil for the prisoner to remit the sentence. We need to expand the menu of possibilities. If we set up blood collection points in Brazilian prisons and allowed donations, voluntarily, and slaughtered [na pena]we would have a win-win game.

Something about prison that surprised you? During my government, I inaugurated prisons. But he had no idea. When you go to jail and are behind bars, in that claustrophobia, that profound aridity… It’s very hard, you see everything. People who can’t take it, who can’t take it, who kill themselves, who lose their families. I was very downcast. I even took some heavy pills, passed out.

Tried to kill yourself? No. But I was very sad, very doped up.

What kind of self-criticism did you make in jail about your behavior in government? Less is more. Not only as a public man, [para] anyone. We live in a very unfair world. I have always seen politics as a great instrument for changing people’s lives. But if you, an individual, don’t set an example, it’s worthless.

I went to France to receive the Legion of Honor in the Senate. How many Brazilians are there? Then we go to a dinner hosted by businessmen, that party, as if it were a wedding, and then some friends put their napkins on their heads. It looks like I’m on the napkin, but I’m not. But it’s not enough to be, it has to seem.

The state supplier is an old friend and I will remain a friend? It does not give. You can’t use a business plane. Go to the airport queue, be like everyone else.

In one of the depositions, Mr. said that money and power were addiction. It was an outburst. It’s not that it’s an addiction, but power and its consequences… You have to measure a lot. It’s just like the person who made a lot of money as an entrepreneur. Lower the ball. Try to live a simple life.

I was always surrounded by people, suck ass for shit. All that power entourage. Then suddenly you are alone.

It’s you, your mother who faces cancer to visit you. There fighting. Elementary teacher, museologist, there, beloved by all criminal police officers. “Hi Miss Magaly”. The first to arrive and the last to leave. Adriana [Ancelmo] same. We already separate, she prepares and delivers the food in every visit.

My five children. Your grandchildren being born in jail. This is all very hard. You start to relativize everything. What is important?

When mr. bought those jewels, didn’t he think about that? This money was used from cashier two to present. Completely wrong. And jewelry too… Today I look at it and I think it’s so ridiculous to have done that. It’s a process, you can’t see it. “Ah, no, this money is from slush funds. I’m not stealing this.”

But if there was money left over from box two, why did mr. asked for more? The management of treasury, for those who lead, always ends up having many demands. You have to hire a survey to see So-and-so who is a pre-candidate in such and such a city, the producer for the party schedule in the odd year [sem eleição].

Mr. Didn’t you ask thinking about the surplus? You include it as a matter of course. But I never bought an apartment. I never bought anything.

Why in the photo disclosure crisis [de Paris], mr. Didn’t you realize that? Good question. Prophet of what happened, engineer at work ready… It’s very easy for me to talk now, but at the time you don’t see it. Today I am.

Mr. Do you think you’ve already paid for what you did? I hope that Justice evaluates each process. Whether it should be annulled, restarted, declared incompetence. I will let Justice look and my defense express itself on my behalf.

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X-RAY | SERGIO CABRAL FILHO, 60

He is a journalist and was governor of Rio de Janeiro (2007-2014), senator (2003-2006) and president of the Legislative Assembly (1995-2002). He was re-elected in 2010 with the highest number of votes in the history of Rio de Janeiro (66%). He responds to 36 criminal actions on charges of criminal organization, corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and embezzlement. He has already been sentenced in 20 cases to sentences totaling 375 years, 8 months and 29 days in prison.