The defense of the former Minister of Education, Milton Ribeiro released a note this Sunday (26), reaffirming that “their client did not commit any wrongdoing, regardless of the sphere of investigation”.
Ribeiro was preventively arrested last Wednesday (22) in an operation by the Federal Police (PF) which investigates the practice of influence peddling and corruption for the release of public funds from the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE) , linked to the Ministry of Education (MEC). The former minister was released after a decision by judge Ney Bello, of the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region.
“Minister Milton Ribeiro has always guided his life, private and public, by ethics, honesty and rectitude and has never committed any deviation or criminal offense within or outside the exercise of the public office he held,” adds the statement signed by the former’s lawyers. -minister, Daniel Leon Bialski and Bruno Garcia Borragine.
The investigations began after reports in the newspaper “O Estado de S. Paulo” and an audio obtained by “Folha de S. Paulo”, which involves the name of the minister in a scheme of favoring the portfolio through pastors.
In the recording, the former minister claims to have received a request from the president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to release MEC funds to specific municipalities through negotiations with pastors – who do not hold positions in the federal government.
This Sunday (26th), the CNN had access to a document from the Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) which reveals that Ribeiro’s advisors resigned, at the time of the events, due to the then minister’s insistence on maintaining relations with pastors Arilton Moura and Gilmar Santos.
Check out the full note released by Milton Ribeiro’s defense:
The defense of Former Minister Milton Ribeiro REAFFIRMS that his client did not commit any wrongdoing, regardless of the sphere of investigation. Minister Milton Ribeiro has always guided his life, private and public, by ethics, honesty and rectitude and has never committed any deviation or criminal offense within or outside the exercise of the public office he held.
As explained, the reference made in the audios is commonly used to praise the person who helps to organize events aimed at promoting education and projects, however, this does not mean that he or she held any official or unofficial position with the Ministry, or would have some sort of facility or priority.
Anyone who knows a little about the functioning of the Ministry of Education knows that the Minister and no one else had or has the power to favor people, cities or states because there is a whole formal procedure that regulates the progress and evaluation of the intended benefits. Even improved in the management exercised by Minister Milton Ribeiro. It should be noted that there is an absolute need to meet the established criteria and fulfill the requirements for obtaining the intended approval.
It should be noted that when the Minister became aware of complaints involving third parties, with whom he met very few times, he immediately communicated the fact to the CGU, requesting a prompt investigation and activation of the Attorney General’s Office.
In fact, the CGU’s own opinion is uniform in this sense, not indicating any action or omission by the Minister, only the deposit of value that refers to the sale of the vehicle, as documented, implementing that in the Police Inquiry there is not a single witness or element. indicating that the Former Minister acted to benefit some Municipality-city or even someone who has benefited.
The defense also emphasizes that it will add all documents evidencing the fairness of the sale of the aforementioned vehicle to the Inquiry’s records.
And yet, he will wait for the outcome of the investigations and their conduct, without abuse or arbitrariness, waiting for their filing, which will take place through the recognition of the lack of just cause to elevate him to the condition of suspect.
*With information from Vianey Bentes, Thais Arbex and Léo Lopes.
Source: CNN Brasil
