The Brazilian president accepted the resignation of the Minister of Security, Carlos Lupi, under suspicion of corruption.
Unauthorized discounts were detected in retirement and pension receipts, made by unions and other associations, with the possible collusion of government officials.
The Executive Branch, communicated the resignation of the cabinet member through a press release, citing the now ex -jerch: “I make this decision with the certainty that my name was not indicated at any time in the ongoing investigations”Lupi defended himself.
The investigators estimate that some 1.1 billion dollars were discounted between 2019 and 2024 by unions and associations “that had to provide services to Retirees, such as legal assistance or obtaining discounts on health plans; and at the moment, an undetermined portion of that amount would have been debited illegally“.
Among those involved is a very powerful union, where the president’s brother is a manager.
From the government, they promised to compensate all those disappointed, but without specifying how or when they will reimburse.
There are a series of seized assets -product of progress in the police investigation -quantified in more than 350 million dollars.
“The retirees who were made illegal withdrawals will guarantee their money, but for the moment it is not possible to give a number or set a term. We are organizing this plan, and in the coming weeks we will present it”, Said an auditor.
More than one million retired have registered formal complaints before the National Social Security Institute (INSS) of Brazil.
Family bond aggravates the impact:
The National Union of Retirees and Seniors (Sindnapi), whose president is José Ferreira da Silva, known as Frei Chico -hermano de Lula-, is committed.
The historic union leader, was the one who introduced Da Silva in the labor movement, in the 60s.
With 83 years of age, he continues at the head of a reference center in the union -which is now under the focus of the investigation.
With this, historical speculation about the relations of the Workers Party (PT) with certain union structures, revive in public opinion.
