Ministry of National Integration and Casa Civil deny misconduct by minister

On Saturday (January 7) the Ministry of National Integration released
a note rebutting accusations that the minister, Fernando Bezerro
Coelho, had shown favoritism in releasing funds to members of Congress
and his family, given certain political parties privileged access to
posts in his ministry and that there was a case of nepotism in a
regional development corporation run by the ministry (specifically the
“Codevasf”) that was headed by the minister’s brother. 

Backing up the ministry’s note was another from the office of the
Presidential Chief of Staff (“Casa Civil”) this weekend declaring that
there was no “irregularity” in the minister’s brother being the acting
head of the regional development corporation, Codevasf. According to
Casa Civil, under the statutes of the corporation and norms from the
oversight agency (“Controladoria-Geral da União”), the minister’s
brother was acting as president because he was the senior member of the
board of directors. The note goes on to point out that a new Codevasf
president was nominated some 50 days ago to substitute the minister’s
brother. According to the note, after the normal confirmation process
the appointee will take office.

On Wednesday, January 4, the Chief of Staff, Gleisi Hoffman, had
emitted a note denying reports that she had received orders from
president Dilma Rousseff to oversee the liberation of resources for the
prevention of natural disasters. “Minister Fernando Bezerra is and
continues to be responsible for the execution of projects and programs
at the Ministry of National  Integration,” said the note.

All this follows articles in the O Globo and O Estado de S Paulo that
the minister had sent 90% of the funds available for disaster prevention
to his home state of Pernambuco. With heavy rainfall causing dikes to
burst, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and hundreds to be left homeless,
in the state of Minas Gerais, the newspapers reported that president
ordered the Casa Civil to look into the matter.