Brasilia - In addition to the moves to unblock Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry, factions within the National Congress, including party presidents, government supporters, and business groups, are already making a positive gesture toward the government's project to allow the Central Bank to also oversee investment funds in the country, while simultaneously advocating for stricter enforcement against financial crimes, following the Master case.
The rapporteur for the so-called Security Amendment , which has faced consecutive delays and difficulties in passing through the Chamber of Deputies amid resistance from state governments, Representative Mendonça Filho (União-PE), says that if approved, his report could strengthen bodies such as the Federal Police, the Federal Revenue Service, military police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, and state revenue services in combating financial crimes, such as the suspected fraud at Banco Master .
"The PEC [Proposed Constitutional Amendment] is reinforcing the role of action in combating organized crime and financial crimes, a matter that constitutionally falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Police," he told NeoFeed .
"Strengthening police forces, such as the Federal Police, specialized in combating financial crime is something that is, I would say, enshrined in the substitute proposal that I presented," he adds.
Mendonça, who is also president of the Parliamentary Front for the Business Environment, says he supports the Central Bank acting in a complementary way in supervising funds, but also argued that the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) should also be restructured, with more staff, at a time when it does not have "the necessary support from the government, considering the size of the financial market and the fund industry."
"How to define this glass wall that separates the two missions [actions of the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission] is something that we will need to discuss very broadly with very relevant actors in the financial market and those who follow the legal structure that supports this market itself," he added.
Júlio Lopes (PP-RJ), president of the Parliamentary Front for a Competitive Brazil, which has 190 deputies and senators, promises to meet with the group of parliamentarians upon their return from recess to discuss projects and measures to improve legislation on certain activities in the financial market. He also argues that the Legislative branch should be able to respond to alleged crimes committed by funds and the financial sector in general.
"The market is growing and creating new actions that require oversight. And we have to address this with all seriousness," Lopes emphasized.
“We need swift and efficient oversight of funds. We see similar investments cascading down, leading to a breakdown of Central Bank rules. And I think it's absolutely advisable that we have oversight from both the Central Bank and the CVM,” he added.
Political tone
Even during the holidays, politicians have been expressing support for the investigations into the Master Case to gain traction in Congress. There are at least three requests to establish Parliamentary Commissions of Inquiry – one in the Chamber of Deputies, another in the Senate, and a joint commission (formed by parliamentarians from both houses).
Gradually, the case is taking on increasingly political dimensions, and leaders are speaking out about it, such as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who criticized on Friday, January 23, those who defend the owner of Banco Master, Daniel Vorcaro , arrested by the Federal Police.
"We will work together to ensure that those involved in this scheme are punished and imprisoned for orchestrating the biggest bank fraud in the country's history, no matter who it hurts. These criminals will not go unpunished!", warned the government leader in Congress, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP), on his social media this week.
“I am in favor of a serious investigation into the Master Case. No matter who it hurts. That is why I support the decision of the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) to follow the facts raised so far by the Federal Police. Congress cannot remain silent,” also stated the national president of the MDB, Deputy Baleia Rossi (SP).
In the local political sphere of Brasília, members of the opposition, such as the former governors of the Federal District (DF), Rodrigo Rollemberg (PSB) and Cristovam Buarque (Cidadania), also filed an impeachment request on Friday, the 23rd, in the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District against Ibaneis Rocha (MDB), the governor of the DF, who controls BRB - Brasília's public bank, involved in suspected fraud with Master .
The offensive came after news that Ibaneis had spoken with Vorcaro about Master's attempt to buy BRB before the deal was announced. Ibaneis has publicly denied this.
