sb.scorecardresearch

Published 11:40 IST, June 29th 2021

Brazil Senators file criminal complaint against Jair Bolsonaro for malfeasance

Three Brazilian senators formally accused President Jair Bolsonaro of malfeasance before Supreme Court, on June 28, over allegations of supporting corruption.

Reported by: Riya Baibhawi
Follow: Google News Icon
  • share
Brazil
Image: AP/PTI/Randolfe Rodrigues/Facebook  | Image: self

Three Brazilian senators formally accused President Jair Bolsonaro of malfeasance before Supreme Court, on June 28, over allegations he failed to have a top ally investigated for suspicious of massive corruption in the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines. The criminal complaint comes days after a Senate Commission discretely uncovered a colossal corruption scandal in the Health Ministry related to the procurement of Covaxin shots. During its probe, the commission also discovered that President Jair Bolsonaro had full knowledge of the scandal but failed to do anything to stop it.

"I filed a criminal complaint today with the Supreme Court because of the serious accusation that the president took no action after being notified of a gigantic corruption scheme at the health ministry," said opposition Senator Randolfe Rodrigues, the commission's deputy chair.

Corruption scheme

The allegations emerged when a Singapore based firm, now suspected of being a shell company, billed the Brazilian Health Ministry US$45 million for yet-to-be delivered doses. However, it raised red flags for one health ministry official-Luis Ricardo Miranda who refused to sign off the payment. Miranda had multiple arguments. Firstly, the country’s procurement contract did not mention any firm in Singapore. Secondly, all payments were to be made after the delivery of the shots. 

Miranda told the Senate inquiry his superiors at the ministry exerted "atypical, excessive" pressure on him to approve the payment. He took his concerns to his brother, Luis Miranda, a congressman close to Bolsonaro, who arranged a meeting for them with the president. Following the meeting, Bolsonaro told Miranda that he suspected the corruption scheme to be the work of Ricardo Barros, who is head of Bolsonaro's coalition in the lower house. The Brazilian leader also assured Miranda, on March 20, that he would ask the police to investigate but never did, as per his testimony to the senate. Other irregularities in deal soon emerged, forcing the administration to cancel it as prosecutors opened an investigation. If Bolsonaro is convicted and a criminal case ensues, the rightist leader faces the risk of getting removed from the Presidential office. 

Image: AP/PTI/Randolfe Rodrigues/Facebook 

Updated 11:40 IST, June 29th 2021