The vice-president of the Joint Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPMI) of the National Social Security Institute (INSS), federal deputy Duarte Jr (PSB-MA), accused Maranhão state deputy Edson Araújo (PSB) of threatening him.
According to Duarte Jr. (photo), Araújo offended and threatened him three times during a conversation the two had on a messaging application, after the president of the Brazilian Confederation of Fisheries and Aquaculture Workers (CBPA), Abraão Linconl Ferreira, testified to CPMIon Monday (3).
State deputy Edson Araújo is vice-president of the confederation, one of the entities investigated within the scope of Operation Without Discount launched by the Federal Police (PF) and the General Comptroller of the Union (CGU).
The operation was carried out in April this year, with the aim of deepening investigations into the billion-dollar fraud that, over the years, harmed millions of retirees and pensioners whose benefits suffered discounts from unauthorized association monthly fees.
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The entity’s president, Abraão Linconl Ferreira, was arrested when testifying at the CPMI, with the justification of having made false statements, refusing to answer questions and, thus, keeping silent about the truth of the facts..
“The threat occurred after the last meeting, in which we received the president of the CBPA [Ferreira]”, stated Duarte Jr. “We question [Ferreira] which is why the CBPA, after subtracting R$123 million from the accounts of retirees and pensioners, deposited more than R$3.5 million into Edson Araújo’s account and more than R$1.5 million into the accounts of his advisors”, added the vice-president of the commission.
According to Duarte, state deputy Edson Araújo contacted him via Whatsapp and wrote: “Clowning. He wants to appear. A clown’s place is in the circus.” He said that the state deputy, at one point, adopted a threatening tone: “We are still going to meet.” Duarte then asked: “Are you threatening me?” And he replied: “I am. Why?”
According to Jr., the state deputy and advisors received more than R$5 million from one of the entities investigated for illegally charging monthly fees deducted from retirees and pensioners. Photo: duartejr_/Instagram
Faced with what he classified as “serious threats”, the federal deputy registered a police report with the Federal Legislative Police and asked the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta (Republicanos-PB), to determine the reinforcement of his and his family’s security. Duarte Jr. also proposed that the CPMI summon Araújo to testify and approve the breaking of the state deputy’s banking secrecy. Furthermore, he asked his party, the PSB, to expel Araújo, also a Pessebista.
According to the president of CPMI, senator Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG), as the request for protection made by the federal deputy is already being granted, by letter from the Presidency of the Chamber of Deputies, it will not need to go to plenary.
“We will officiate the president of the Chamber, deputy Hugo Motta, so that, together with the Legislative Police, he can provide protection in Brasília. And so that the PF can protect our vice-president and his family in Maranhão.”
Agência Brasil contacted the office of state deputy Edson Araújo and the PSB advisors and is awaiting statements from the parliamentarian and the party to update the news.
