The Palácio do Planalto stated, on Thursday night (12), that it has already paid almost R$ 1.76 billion of the R$ 6.8 billion that was held back due to the decisions of the (Supreme Federal Court) demanding more transparency and traceability in transfers.
According to the Institutional Relations Secretariat of (PT), the amount corresponds to payments made since the amendments were released, with the latest decision of , of the STF, at the beginning of the month.
But most of the transfers have been made since last Tuesday, when the government issued an ordinance and legal opinion instructing ministries to pay the resources in accordance with the rules established by Dino.
Of these almost R$2 billion, the majority are special transfers, the so-called “Pix” amendments, R$1.232 billion. Then, there is the payment of R$300 million for bench amendments (RP7) and R$228.6 million for individual amendments (RP6).
The commission amendments (RP8) have not yet been paid, but palace assistants say this should happen in the next few days.
In recent weeks, the Supreme Court has tightened rules for the release of amendments, defining new criteria that must be adopted by the government () for the allocation of money.
The restrictions imposed by the STF increased tension between the Powers. The Congress leadership believes that the setbacks in the Supreme Court were sponsored by the government — and, in retaliation, threatens not to vote on the spending cut package spearheaded by the Minister of Finance, (PT).
Ministers Flávio Dino and , from the Supreme Court, gave messages to Congress in public statements this Thursday, amid the crisis of parliamentary amendments.
Dino criticized what he called “piti democracy” and countered criticism of so-called judicial activism, while Fux said that “” creates legal uncertainty in the country.
“How is it that one Power keeps creating a scandal every time the other decides?”, asked Dino this Thursday.
He questioned criticism of his decision on amendments that used the argument that he had disrespected the law approved by Congress. “Everything that is in the decision is in the law. Now, if there are people who voted and don’t know they voted, I’m sorry. It’s there,” he said.
Amendments are a way in which deputies and senators can send money for works and projects in their electoral bases and, in doing so, increase their political capital. A , and not the locations with the highest demand in the country.
The government’s requests to the STF were in line with Congress leadership. They aimed to pay for “Pix” amendments and identify the parliamentarians who were the original authors of the committee amendments.
With Dino’s refusal, the government finalized the ordinance in less than 24 hours. The text may open loopholes for the “Pix” amendments sent to the health area to be executed without the presentation of work plans.
The ordinance also allows committee amendments to be executed when “any congressman” identifies himself as requesting the funds — without guarantees that the congressman is actually responsible for the money.
