The president of Alerj (Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro), Rodrigo Bacellar (União), was preventively arrested by the PF (Federal Police) last Wednesday (3) as part of Operation Unha e Carne, which investigates the leak of secret information linked to Operation Zargun.
The operation was authorized by Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court). Understand the case in 5 points:
Who is Rodrigo Bacellar?
At the moment, . In 2021, he was appointed by the governor of Rio, Cláudio Castro (PL), to take over the State Secretariat of Government of Rio de Janeiro, remaining in the position until 2022, when he returned to the polls, this time for PL, being elected again with 97,822 votes.
In 2025, he will serve his second term in the Legislative Assembly, being, in February of this year, reappointed to the presidency of the House with unanimous approval.
Accusations against him
The operation investigates the leak of confidential information from Operation Zargun —, known as TH Joias, in September.
The PF points out that Bacellar would have passed on confidential data that would have helped to obstruct the investigation. There is also evidence that he instructed the parliamentarian to remove objects from the residence to hide evidence.
In a statement, Congressman Bacellar’s defense denied that the parliamentarian had acted to obstruct investigations into criminal factions or leaked information to targets of police operations. The lawyers also said that he did not perform any act that would justify a request for preventive detention.
Precautionary measures and seizures
In addition to the preventive detention, the PF carried out search and seizure warrants at the deputy’s residence and at the Alerj headquarters, including the presidency room. In Bacellar’s official car, f — which will be examined.
A CNN Brazil found that Bacellar was called this Wednesday to a meeting with the PF superintendent in Rio, Fábio Galvão, and was subsequently arrested.
According to the lawyers, the deputy was interviewed by the Federal Police on Wednesday afternoon (3) and provided all the requested clarifications. Regarding the seized money, Borragini stated that the values were not included in Moraes’ decision.
Operation Zargun
Launched on September 3, Operation Zargun, also conducted by the PF, investigated a corruption scheme involving leaders of the CV (Comando Vermelho) in Complexo do Alemão with several public agents, including a PF delegate, military police officers, a former municipal and state secretary, as well as a state deputy.
According to the indictment, the former deputy allegedly committed the following crimes:
- join an armed criminal organization;
- smuggling;
- clandestine exploitation of telecommunications activities;
- currency evasion;
- interstate drug trafficking
- and violation of professional secrecy.
In addition to TH Joias, Alessandro Pitombeira Carrasena, who previously held positions as state and municipal secretary of Rio, three military police officers and a federal delegate, detained at Galeão International Airport, were also arrested.
According to the investigation, leaders of Comando Vermelho in Complexo do Alemão maintained direct contact with these authorities.
What did Moraes say?
In the decision that ordered Bacellar’s arrest,
“As I had the opportunity to express myself regarding the need for uniform repression of crimes with interstate and international repercussions, one of the main characteristics of criminal organizations operating in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to territorial dominance through the use of force, and the ability to corrupt public and political agents on a large scale”, wrote the minister.
“It is the political infiltration that such groups have achieved in recent years, whether at the municipal, state and federal level”, he added.
The judge also highlighted, in the order, the
According to PF data, the leak of confidential data would have disrupted the progress of Operation Zargun.
According to the minister, the information from the corporation is serious and indicates that “RODRIGO DA SILVA BACELLAR would be actively acting to obstruct investigations involving a criminal faction and actions against organized crime, including with influence in the state Executive Branch, capable of increasing the risk of criminal continuity and undue interference in investigations of the criminal organization”.
