Federal Police investigates overpricing in purchase of respirators in Amazonas | National newspaper

In April, the Amazon health system collapsed due to the Covid pandemic. It was in this scenario that, according to the Federal Police, members of the highest government of Amazonas and businessmen mounted a corruption scheme that bought 28 respirators from the FJAP wine cellar, without bidding, for almost R $ 3 million.

The Federal Police say that there was triangulation. The state government ordered respirators from the wine cellar, which in turn, according to the PF, purchased from Sonoar, which sells the equipment. The FJAP was later transferred to the government of Amazonas with a 133% markup.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, Governor Wilson Lima of the PSC is suspected of being the head of the scheme. He was the subject of a search and seizure in the first phase of Operation Sangria, in June, and had part of the assets blocked by the Justice.

Last week, the PF arrested five suspects involved in the fraud. Among them, the former Secretary of Health of Amazonas Rodrigo Tobias. The five were released on Sunday (18) because their temporary prison sentence had expired.

In the seized cell phones, the FP found messages exchanged by those investigated. In one of them, on April 4, the then Secretary Rodrigo Tobías talks with the then Undersecretary of Health, Perseverando García. Tobias says that Governor Wilson Lima knew of a businessman who would finance respirators for the government.

“I am receiving many demands, and one of them that I want to channel is from the governor, it seems that he has a channel from a businessman here in Amazonas, the guy is big. The guy has a bullet in the needle and he offered to do the shopping for the state government. And we follow the normal ritual of our processes and procedures to buy from him, ”says Rodrigo Tobias, former Secretary of Health of Amazonas.

Police say the businessman is under investigation. His name was not released.

Two days earlier, in an enforcement group called “Only Us Here,” the then Undersecretary Persevering suggested a phantom offer to complete the purchase of respirators at the wine cellar.

Why don’t I run a ghost process, man? And then I make the effort, understood? It’s so much better than committing to nothing and having to pay, no guarantees, man, none. There is no support, ”says Perseverando.

The Amazon government bought the respirators in April. With the opening of investigations, the suspects became apprehensive, as revealed by a message exchange in June.

Former Executive Secretary of Health João Paulo Marques dos Santos, detained in the first phase of the operation, fears that the group will serve as a scapegoat for the irregular purchase of equipment.

Persevering says that he is also concerned, because he knows that they want to respond to society in any way.

In the end, João Paulo asks the then Secretary of State for Health, Rodrigo Tobias, not to delete the messages, because they can save him and Perseverando from the accusations.

The PF also suspects the participation of the lieutenant governor, Carlos Almeida, of the PTB.

“It was possible to see the interference of the high government summit on the former Secretary of Health who channeled these demands to manipulate the process of acquiring lung ventilators,” says Henrique Albergaria, delegate of the Federal Police.

The agents want to know why the lieutenant governor held meetings with government officials, parliamentarians and businessmen at a law firm located in a commercial building, and not in his office. According to the PF, the suspicion is that the meetings served to settle payments of bribes.

In the images recorded in May, deputy Carlos Almeida appears arriving at the building with advisers. He was then filmed hanging out with a bag.

During the investigations, the agents seized documents with proposals to sell more respirators from the wine cellar to the government of Amazonas, totaling more than R $ 35 million. According to the Federal Police, the deal was not completed because those involved were arrested earlier.

The FJAP has declared that it imports medical equipment and wines and has applied a margin of 10% to profits and 10% to taxes.

Rodrigo Tobias said he did not commit an illegal act and that the cell phone messages serve as proof of innocence.

Lieutenant Governor Carlos Almeida also stated that he did not commit any illicit act, that he used a friend’s office as a place of work for a few days after his departure from the Civil House and that his presence and advisers are on record.

Governor Wilson Lima affirmed that he is available for clarification and that his management is guided by ethics and transparency.

The defense of Perseverando García said it will speak when it has access to the case file.

Sonoar declined to comment.

João Paulo Marques Santos’s lawyer did not respond to calls from the National newspaper.