With the approval of the president (PT), ministers and allies launched this Thursday (18) in an operation to convince the government leader in the Senate, (-BA), so that he hands over the position.
According to allies, Lula considers his continued leadership of the government to be unsustainable, but, despite this assessment, he should not remove him. He hopes that this initiative comes from Wagner himself.
Sought by government emissaries, allies of the senator, including ministers and members of the Government of Bahia, triggered this articulation. They themselves would be convinced of the delicacy of Wagner’s situation.
The expectation of these Lula allies is that Wagner will resign this Friday (19) or at the latest on Monday (22).
This Thursday, after the Federal Police arrested Lula, he called Wagner twice. According to the president’s allies, in both conversations, they were unable to discuss a succession in government leadership due to the senator’s emotional distress.
Ministers state that this gesture of solidarity by the president should not be understood as a guarantee of maintaining his position as leader. But a nod to Wagner to take his departure as a personal initiative, under the argument that he needs to dedicate himself to his defense.
Still according to these allies, it was Lula who suggested that. But, within the government, the assessment is that they were insufficient, which will require developments.
The president’s allies believe that the Federal Police’s operation against the government leader in the Senate could be used to defend (), who was caught in conversations with former banker Daniel Vorcaro to obtain resources for the film “”, about the life of the former president (PL).
Amid suspicions that Wagner has, Wagner even highlighted, in an interview with, Lula’s confidence in his integrity. After reporting one of the president’s phone calls, received shortly before noon, Wagner said he was betting on him remaining in the role.
“He made a point of calling me, expressing solidarity with me,” he said.
The senator said he would continue to lead the government in the Senate until further notice. “The leadership of the government is the responsibility of President Lula, with whom I spoke today, and I find it very difficult for him to change my position due to the relationship we have and the trust he has in me.”
The president’s allies classified the interview as above tone, adding that there was no definition for his permanence.
This Thursday, the PF carried out 18 search and seizure warrants in a new phase of the Compliance Zero operation. The warrants were issued by the minister of the (Supreme Federal Court) in Bahia, São Paulo and the Federal District.
Searches were carried out at addresses linked to Wagner and Lima in Salvador and at a hotel in Brasília where the senator lives.
Federal police officers were also at the Salvador address of Eduardo Sodré Martins, Wagner’s stepson, and his wife, Bonnie Bonilha.
