Police's new operation probes into ex-ministers, governor and construction firm

Federal Police officers executed warrants for Operation Hydra of Lerna at the Workers' Party (PT) state headquarters in Salvador, at Propeg advertising company and at OAS construction company, also investigated under Operation Car Wash.

Bahia Governor Rui Costa (PT) is being probed under the operation, suspected of having received illegal funding for the campaign that elected him in 2014. The former ministers of cities are also being investigated—they are Mário Negromonte, member of the Progressive Party (PP), current member of the Bahia Court of Auditors, and Márcio Fortes, employee of the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FIRJAN).

The Operation Hydra of Lerna was launched in Brasília, Salvador, and Rio de Janeiro. In total, 16 search warrants were granted by Superior-Court (STJ) Justice Maria Thereza Rocha de Assis Moura, because some of those investigated had jurisdictional prerrogative.

According to the Federal Police, the group is being probed for allegedly illegally financing campaigns and for fraud in bidding contracts with the Ministry of Cities. The OAS construction company hired communications companies, like Propeg, to run campaigns for the construction companies. However, the companies were actually running campaigns for political parties. Another line of investigation pursues fraud in bidding contracts with the Ministry of Cities.

According to the federal police, the operation is dubbed Hydra of Lerna in a reference to the Greek mythical creature: for every head chopped off, the Hydra would regrow two heads.

Defense

Negromonte's lawyer, Carlos Fauaze, confirmed that the police went to the former minister's house, but said he will not make further remarks on the matter until he reads the operation's files.

In a note, Propeg confirmed that the searches were executed in their offices in Brasília and Salvador and in directors' houses. The company said it has helped investigations since June this year and denies that the facts investigated have “any connection with the PT, the Bahia government, and the OAS company."

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta