The governor of Bahia, Jerônimo Rodrigues (), made a public defense of the senator and pre-candidate for re-election (PT) this Friday (26).
It was the first agenda in which the two appeared together since the senator was the target of an operation linked to , of .
In a speech in the city of Barreiras, western Bahia, Jerônimo praised the political trajectory of Jaques Wagner. With a choked voice, he said that the senator will prove his innocence.
“It’s the first public act with Wagner after what they wanted to do with him. He was there the day before yesterday, he talked to his friend, a friend of ours, Lula, and he got it right because, in addition to a leadership position, there’s Brazil and Bahia. And we’re going to show, we’re going to prove that, if you have a mistake in life, for them the mistake is taking care of the poor and dedicating your life. We trust you”, stated the governor.
Later, in a political event with representatives of youth movements in Barreiras, Wagner stated that he will “dismantle the mess” of the Federal Police operation.
“The legal part, my lawyers are dealing with. The political part, I’m going to deal with. I’m not braver than anyone else, but my father taught me not to be a coward. We don’t live with injustice. And I’m going to dismantle the lie that they’re trying to set up against me,” he said.
Afterwards, he said he will maintain his public and pre-campaign agendas. “I made a point of coming here so they wouldn’t think I was down. In fact, I’m blind [obcecado] to campaign for Lula and Jerônimo”, he said.
Jaques Wagner left his position as leader of the government this Wednesday (24). He resisted the idea of leaving government leadership, but said there was a “common agreement”. His departure was finalized after a two-hour meeting with the president (PT).
The Operation Compliance Zero phase launched by the PF last week investigates suspicions of passive corruption, active corruption and money laundering. In addition to Wagner, targets were Augusto Lima and Eduardo Sodré Martins, Wagner’s stepson and government secretary (PT-BA).
Investigators identified a payment of R$3.5 million from a company linked to Lima to Wagner’s “family nucleus”, which, according to the minister, rapporteur of the Master case at the STF, is evidence of closeness between the parliamentarian and the senator.
Wagner would also have received an apartment from Lima valued at R$2.5 million, in addition to free travel on jets linked to Master, and tickets to attend a show by an “international singer” in Los Angeles, in 2023.
At addresses linked to the senator, Federal Police agents (around R$471 thousand, in current values).
One day after leaving the leadership of the government in the Senate, Jaques Wagner complained to the president about the role of the Federal Police in the operation of which he was the target, particularly due to the disclosure of items seized in the apartment where he lives in Brasília.
“Why the one with the PF shield? This process was common in Lava Jato. If the Federal Police is going to continue this type of spectacularization, I think the head of the Federal Police has to take care of it”, he states.
For him, the release of the images violated the guidance of the minister, of the (Federal Supreme Court) — which determined that the search and seizure should take place “discreetly” due to the “secretive nature of the investigation”.
In the interview, Wagner admitted to having a relationship with businessman Augusto Lima, Master’s former partner, and stated that he did not know the governor or mayor.
He revealed that the amounts paid by Banco Master to his daughter-in-law’s company and argued that the money had legal origins.
