Brazilian Minister of the Environment to be investigated

The Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) of Brazil has requested this Monday the Supreme Court of Brazil to open an investigation to the Minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles, for alleged crimes of administrative law, obstructing the environmental inspection and preventing or hindering the investigation of a crime related to a criminal organization.

The request, signed by the deputy attorney general, Humberto Jacques de Medeiros, has been sent to Judge Carmen Lucia Antunes, a member of the Supreme Court, to denounce the alleged irregularities committed by Bolsonaro’s minister and other officials.

The Supreme Court, which is already investigating Salle on suspicion of facilitating the illegal export of wood, has received this request made based on a demand from the Federal Police in Amazonas in April, reports the Brazilian media G1.

Specifically, the former head of this Police department, Alexandre Saraiva, has advocated for the minister’s investigation, alluding to the fact that he halted inspection measures in the event of damage to the environment and hindered the investigation of the largest seizure of wood in history.

In the request, the PGR has requested authorization to obtain testimony from Salles, testimonies from rural owners and inspection agents, and a scanned copy of all inspection and investigation procedures related to environmental crimes.

The Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes authorized the ‘Akuanduba’ operation, which began in January, in which the minister and other senior officials and businessmen are being investigated in an irregular plot in the timber export. Thus, if the Supreme Court also authorizes this request from the PGR, Salles will face a second investigation.

Source: dpa