PT’s main rival in Bahia, the political group of ACM Neto (União Brasil) chose not to publicly explore the Federal Police (PF) operation that targeted the , which is seeking re-election on the ticket of governor Jerônimo Rodrigues (PT). As GLOBO showed in March, PT members and the group of the former mayor of Salvador, who also had his campaign impacted after the revelation of Master’s payments, sealed a behind-the-scenes agreement to leave the scandal involving Daniel Vorcaro out of this year’s state electoral dispute.
Wagner is the target of investigations that determine whether he acted in favor of the interests of the banker and his former partner Augusto Lima in Congress in exchange for “undue advantages”. The PF suspects the senator’s role in important projects for the financial institution, such as the “Master amendment”, which expanded the coverage of the Credit Guarantee Fund (FGC). In return, the senator received benefits, such as an aircraft at his disposal, tickets to international shows and a luxury apartment worth R$2.4 million in Salvador.
Neto avoided the topic on social media. Questioned by journalists during an agenda last Friday, the former mayor avoided direct attacks on his opponent:
— This is a question that falls to the Judiciary. What we hope is that the investigation is complete, impartial, correct and that, in the end, if there are those responsible or guilty, they will be punished. We have to wait and see what developments this may have.
Pass on the Consultancy
ACM Neto’s campaign was impacted by the Master case after documents delivered by the banker to the Federal Revenue indicated the payment of R$5.4 million to the former mayor, through his consultancy company, between 2023 and 2025. It was the connections of both groups with Master that led them to avoid exchanging public accusations.
The confrontation was the responsibility of Jair Bolsonaro’s former Minister of Citizenship and state president of the PL in Bahia, João Roma, who shared the operation on social media. Roma is on ACM Neto’s ticket and, like Jaques Wagner, is seeking a seat in the Senate. Rome classified the investigation as “very serious” and defended that investigations be conducted independently and respect due legal process.
Rome also criticized the government leader’s stance in the Senate regarding the issue, stating that the matter deserves to be treated seriously.
“What is most surprising in this case is the debauched way in which he always dealt with the matter, drawing conclusions from opposing politicians and hiding his relationships, even using the pejorative term ‘pale face’”, he wrote.
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The PT will have Governor Jerônimo as a candidate for reelection, facing ACM Neto in a repeat of the tight 2022 contest, which was won by the PT member in the second round with 52.8% of the votes. The most recent Genial/Quaest survey, from April, showed a technical tie between the two. The dispute for the two Senate seats has former governor Rui Costa and Wagner on the PT side against Roma and senator Angelo Coronel (Republicans) on the right.
ACM Neto seeks to avoid the nationalization of the debate and avoids formal support for Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign for Planalto, despite being part of the PL in the state. Jerônimo’s campaign tries to place President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) as the centerpiece of the Bahian campaign.
Relationships exposed
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The PF pointed out Wagner’s close relationship with Augusto Lima, Vorcaro’s former partner. The partnership between PT da Bahia and the businessman goes back to the Rui Costa government, when he privatized Empresa Baiana de Alimentos (Ebal), owner of the Cesta do Povo supermarket chain. Ebal was purchased by Lima, who also bought a credit card for civil servants and retirees. The card, Credcesta, had its operations expanded throughout the country in partnership with Master, of which it became a partner in 2019.
According to the PF report, cited in the decision by Minister André Mendonça, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Wagner was the author of an amendment to a Provisional Measure, in March 2022, which would benefit Banco Master if it were approved. The PT member denies having received any amount related to the paid-off institution or acting to benefit it.
ACM Neto argues that the relationship with Master was established without any of the company’s partners “holding a public position at the time of formalization and execution of the contract”. The former mayor says that he was analyzing the “national political-economic agenda” and that he participated in a series of meetings with bank representatives.
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