Suspicion of corruption in the purchase of Covaxin vaccine becomes target of Covid's CPI
The Commission will concentrate efforts on the investigation of the R$ 1.6 billion contract by the Bolsonaro government for the purchase of the Covaxin vaccine
The senators then decided to hear the official, Luís Ricardo Miranda, brother of federal deputy Luís Claudio Miranda (DEM-DF), who will also testify. The hearing of the two, as witnesses, was scheduled for Friday, and there is great expectation on the part of senators, who see it as a "bomb statement".
The testimony is considered so important that the CPI canceled the interrogation of the international advisor to the Presidency of the Republic, Filipe Martins, which would take place on Friday. The decision was taken yesterday by the senators who are part of the G7.
There was a previous conversation with the deputy, who made himself available to also be heard with his brother. Senators do not reveal the content of what the congressman has to add. Asked about the reason for inviting Luís Miranda to testify, the president of the CPI, Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), just pointed out: “Because the deputy said he would go with his brother and that they both have something to talk about”.
Rodrigues said it was inevitable to listen to the server. "From the deliberations that we will take tomorrow (today) (the approval of summons requirements and breaches of confidentiality), the commission enters a third and decisive phase, which is the investigation of other crimes, in addition to the previous ones," he said.
“Until then, the signs were of crimes against the health order, precariousness. We are now going to enter an area of investigating the occurrence of active and passive corruption by public and private agents.”
suspicions
In testimony to the Republic's Attorney Luciana Loureiro Oliveira, Luís Ricardo reported that there were pressures, “through text messages, e-mails, phone calls, requests for meetings” to resolve obstacles in relation to the importation of Covaxin. The purchase of the immunizing agent was ordered by President Jair Bolsonaro.
In an order, dated June 16, the content of which was made public yesterday, the prosecutor raises suspicions in relation to the federal government's negotiations for the acquisition of the Indian vaccine. She asks for the opening of a specific investigation into the negotiations, noting that, although the contract provides for delivery of 20 million doses within 70 days after the contract was signed (on February 25), this did not occur, and there was also no corrective action by the government for the execution of the contract.
"Added to the history of irregularities that weighs on the partners of the company Necessidade and the high price paid for the doses contracted, compared to the others, makes the situation lacking in-depth investigation, under a double civil and criminal aspect, since, in principle, , the temerity of the risk assumed by the Ministry of Health with this contract is not justified, except to serve interests divorced from the public interest”, he emphasized.
After the order, a factual news was opened in the 11th Office for Combating Crime and Administrative Misconduct. According to Luciana Loureiro Oliveira, "it was found that the company has, among its
The company, according to the prosecutor, just over three years ago, negotiated a contract "for the sale of medicines to the Ministry of Health, but did not deliver them, causing damage to hundreds of patients dependent on high-cost medications and a loss of more than R$ 20 million to the Treasury, apparently, not yet reimbursed”.
The fact generated an action of administrative improbity in the face of the then Minister of Health, Ricardo Barros, and other servers, who have an ongoing police inquiry.
Each dose of Covaxin was purchased by the government for US$15, higher than Pfizer's, for example, which was US$12. This issue was also pointed out by the prosecutor. At the time the contract was signed, there was not even a phase 3 study of the vaccine in Brazil approved by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). Only on May 14 of this year did the agency approve the carrying out of clinical trials of the immunizing agent in Brazil.
The vaccine is still subject to import restrictions, being allowed, in early June, only use under controlled conditions, a concession that can be suspended, "if the request for emergency use under analysis by Anvisa or by the World Health Organization (WHO) is denied, or based on information from the control and monitoring of the use of the Covaxin vaccine in Brazil”, as informed by the agency.
Telegrams from Itamaraty, delivered to the CPI and revealed by Correio in yesterday's edition, showed the government's insistence on purchasing the immunizing agent.
Defense
In a note sent to Correio, Need said that it was officially unaware of "any investigation by the Federal Public Ministry in relation to the contract signed for the import of vaccines", but that it is available to the CPI to provide clarifications. He also defended that the prices established in the contract
with Brazil were lower than those charged to private hospitals, whose “dose price was set at US$16”.
Senators complain that documentation with contract specifications and details of values, already requested by the CPI, were not presented. “All of Brazil is listening. It is not possible that the Ministry of Health does not listen”, said Omar Aziz, urging the ministry to speed up.
Cited in the PRDF inquiry opening request, Global Gestão em Saúde, from the same group as Necessidade, did not enter into the merits of the Covaxin contracts and admitted that the amounts due are being discussed with the Federal Revenue Service, "remaining the calculation of the amounts due and credits to which Global Gestão em Saúde is entitled”. According to the company, "all negotiations with the competent bodies are in progress in a legal manner".
The Ministry of Health said that it has not yet made any payment under the contract. According to the folder, the legal consultancy analyzes the case.
Businessman claims to be quarantined
Francisco Maximiano, a partner of Precise Medicine, informed the CPI yesterday that he could not testify, scheduled for today, under the allegation that he is in quarantine because of a trip to India. According to the businessman's defense, he landed at Guarulhos Airport on the 15th of June, which would force him to be isolated for 14 days.
"The Coordination of Sanitary Surveillance of Ports, Airports, Borders and Bonded Areas ordered the petitioner to comply with a mandatory quarantine for a period of 14 days, making it impossible for him to travel to Brasília for the session to be held on the 23rd", wrote the defense of Maximiano, in communication to the president of the CPI, Omar Aziz (PSD-AM).
The date of Maximiano's testimony had been known since last week, but the letter with the notice that he could not appear was sent to the CPI
from Covid just yesterday. Aziz complained about the delay. “You could have told us earlier, and tomorrow (today) we would have someone to be here,” he said. "We'll schedule it for next week."
The vice president of the CPI, Randolfe Rodrigues (Rede-AP), highlighted “the degree of disrespect of Mr. Maximiano or his defense towards this parliamentary inquiry commission”. “It was enough for this communication to have arrived at this CPI yesterday (Monday) that even the suggestions sent here by fellow senators could have been put into practice. That was enough,” he protested.
Maximiano was summoned to provide clarification on the contract signed by Precise Medicines with the federal government for the purchase of the Indian vaccine Covaxin. The company, of which he is a partner, is the official representative of Bharat Biotech, a pharmaceutical producer of the immunizing agent.
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