Speaking to journalists, Wellington Cézar declares that there will be no spectacularization of investigations in the electoral context
The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Wellington César Lima e Silva, said this Thursday (April 16, 2026) that the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government will not “spectacularize” or if “omit” in light of investigations into possible fraud involving Banco Master.
For the first time since investigations began, the Ministry of Justice provided clarifications about the 4th phase of Compliance Zero, which culminated in, for negotiating bribes with the founder of Master, Daniel Vorcaro.
However, the government provided little information about the episode. The executive director of the Federal Police, William Murad, said that the “grosso” of the operation was under secrecy. The survey only took place on some parts of the PF’s action, according to him.
Asked about the reasons for the statement to journalists, given the drop in popularity of the Lula government, the minister said that the communications department had the sensitivity to try to clarify the press’ questions and that there will be no “spectacularization” of the case.
The national secretary of Public Security, Chico Lucas, reinforced arguments that used to Fernando Haddad (PT), now a pre-candidate for the government of São Paulo. He said that the government’s intention is “attack upstairs” of organized crime.
According to Lucas, since the Carbono Oculto operation, which investigates a tax evasion and money laundering scheme that generated billions of reais and points to links with the PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital), the strategy is to carry out a “financial suffocation”.
Still according to the secretary, the Lula government has a “great concern about respecting institutionality” and the autonomy of the Federal Police. “There is no point in facing violence only in communities with gunshots. We need to have intelligence and integration”, he declared.
UNDERSTAND
Minister André Mendonça, of the Federal Supreme Court, authorized the arrest of Paulo Henrique Costa and Daniel Monteiro, on suspicion of negotiating R$146 million in bribes paid by Daniel Vorcaro, founder of Master. According to the PF, Henrique Costa authorized the payment of R$12 billion in Master’s bad credits. Read the decision (PDF – 301 kB).
According to investigators, 6 luxury properties were identified as a means of paying bribes, amounting to R$74 million.
However, the PF said that Vorcaro did not complete the payments in full because he was aware of a confidential investigative procedure by the Federal Public Ministry, in April 2025, to investigate the payment of bribes to Paulo Henrique.
The investigations indicate that, upon becoming aware of the investigations, Vorcaro ordered Daniel Monteiro “lock everything down”blocking payments and formalizing the recording of transactions.
The police claim that it was Felipe Mourão, the “Sicario”appointed as a member of the Master’s intelligence core, who forwarded the confidential pieces to Vorcaro on June 24th.
