While awaiting a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry, the Senate creates a group to investigate Banco Master.

Brasilia - While the National Congress is on recess, the Senate's Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) has already taken action and announced on Thursday, January 15, a working group, with a more pro-government profile, to investigate the alleged irregularities committed by Banco Master.

Initiated by the president of the CAE (Committee on Economic Affairs), Renan Calheiros (MDB-AL), the group will consist of nine senators, five from the government, two from the opposition, and two independents. It may even summon people connected to the case, such as executives from Master and others involved. However, at least in theory, the group does not have the power or political clout of a CPI (Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry).

According to sources consulted by NeoFeed , the composition of the committee, which is mostly made up of senators from the base of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's (PT) government, does not include members directly identified with the Centrão, where there are politicians who allegedly have links to Daniel Vorcaro , owner of Master and target of Federal Police investigations who is under house arrest.

Among the members of the group created by Calheiros are government supporters such as the government leader in Congress, Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP); and Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM), leader of the MDB in the Senate, for example. And opposition figures such as Espiridião Amin (PP-SC). There are two names from the Federal District, where BRB , the public bank of the Brasília local government involved in alleged fraud with Master, is located: the pro-government senator Leila Barros (PDT-DF), and the Bolsonaro supporter Damares Alves (PL-DF).

Speaking to NeoFeed , Senator Leila said she hopes that the more pro-government profile of this group can prevent possible interference from the Centrão (a group of center-right political parties) in the work of the committee. And that there will be no interference from any political groups possibly linked to Vorcaro or investigated in the Master case.

Also part of the group are: Omar Aziz (PSD-AM) and Fernando Farias (MDB-AL), also government supporters; and the independents Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE) and Soraya Thronicke (Podemos-MS).

In the order that created the group, Calheiros argued that the group's creation was due to "the seriousness of the facts" and "the ongoing investigations by the Federal Police, the decisions of the Central Bank and the Federal Court of Accounts, related to irregularities attributed to Banco Master."

"The Senate will not bow to abuses by the financial system. We will oversee, demand explanations, and protect the country's economy without shielding anyone, wherever they may be," Calheiros added on his social media.