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RIO – A cloud of puffs ran, on Thursday nights, through the internal balcony of the Palácio das Laranjeiras, in the South Zone of Rio, until it gained open space and dissipated. Between drinks and sips of wine or whiskey, Wilson Witzel commanded the “cigar club,” the governor’s weekly meeting with friends, allies and, above all, people interested in closing deals with the state government.
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Former Health Secretary Edmar Santos, in his collaboration, maintains that some of the irregular operations tracked by the task force originated in the cigar club. The labor lawyer Antônio Vanderler de Lima, a former member of the Sports Justice, was in charge of summoning the guests and organizing the meeting.
The then Secretary of Economic Development Lucas Tristão did not miss a meeting. The lawyer Fábio Medina Osório, a former partner of Witzel, was also a regular. Among the former companions in robes always present was Judge Marcos Pinto da Cruz.
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Part of the regular “cigar club” is being investigated. Medina Osório negotiated, according to the operation, the delivery of leftovers to pay to a company that provides hot products for the prison system, Masgovi. Vanderler is the father of attorney Antônio Vanderler de Lima Júnior, from the Chermont, Vanderler & Crespo Advogados office. In the Labor Court, there are cases in which Júnior appears as a lawyer at the Instituto Unir Saúde. Contrary to the opinion of two state departments, Witzel reconsidered the disqualification of Unir as a service provider for the State Secretary of Health.
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Lucas Tristão was the target of this Friday’s operation, while Vanderler and Medina are on the horizon of the PGR, suspected of being part of the organization.
Judge Marcos Pinto da Cruz, of the Rio de Janeiro Regional Labor Court, was another of the objectives of Operation Tris In Idem. According to the Federal Public Ministry, Cruz led a scheme to benefit social organizations with contracts in the health area in Rio. He was the subject of search warrants and seizures this Friday morning.
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Started in May of last year, the “farmhouse cigar” is a habit that Witzel brought back from the days of the toga. Before entering politics, the then judge brought his Cohibas – a traditional Cuban brand – on the balcony of the Yacht Club of Rio de Janeiro, in Botafogo. As governor, he loved being surrounded by paparazzi and talking openly about his ambition to reach the Presidency of the Republic or the post of Secretary General of the United Nations. In some of these meetings, former companions in toga also appeared, although they were not involved in business.
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On occasions, the cigar was moved to the balcony of the Laranjeiras Palace. Some of the guests say that, in the official residence of the governor, the host was not so comfortable. At 11 pm the first lady appeared to close the convescote. All, ashamed, hurriedly extinguished their legitimate Cubans in the ashtrays and left.
Understand the case
The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Wilson Witzel (PSC), was removed from his post this Friday for 180 days, as determined by Minister Benedito Gonçalves, of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), who authorized the steps taken by the Federal Police . The measure occurred at the same time that the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), in alliance with the Federal Police (PF), executed arrest warrants and search warrants and seizure against public agents, politicians and businessmen involved, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, in crimes of corruption and money laundering of the group led by the governor. The national president of the PSC, Pastor Everaldo Pereira, was arrested. Two of his children too. Former Secretary of Economic Development Lucas Tristão performed at the PF headquarters. The house of Lieutenant Governor Cláudio Castro was the subject of searches.
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The PGR pointed out the existence of serious crimes related to Witzel and even requested his preventive detention from the STJ. Benedito Gonçalves, however, only authorized the transfer and determined precautionary measures, such as the prohibition of keeping in contact with those investigated and with the employees and of entering the government offices of Rio. research.
