Jaques admits living with Lima and says his daughter-in-law's contracts were bigger
Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA) assumed this Friday (26) his relationship with the banker, former partner at Banco Master, Augusto Lima. He also complained about the PF (Federal Police) operation and said that the financial institution's contracts with his daughter-in-law were above the R$3.5 million disclosed.
In an interview with the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, the senator maintained the position that he knew Augusto Lima and had a relationship with him, but considered that he has no involvement with his daughter-in-law's company.
"I met Augusto Lima during the privatization process [of Cesta do Povo]. A relationship was created. I know that many people have consultancies spread across the country. I could have a consultancy, couldn't I? I don't. The Federal Police are building a thesis that this company owned by my daughter-in-law was actually built to serve me. I have nothing to do with the company", he said.
According to the senator, the PF needs to prove an exchange relationship between him and the businesspeople. Jaques confirmed the relationship with businessmen and said that hitching a ride on jets does not constitute a "problem".
"They are trying to create hypocritical rhetoric. I have relationships with a lot of people. Then the guy says to me: 'I'm going to Brasília on Tuesday, do you want to go for a ride?' I'll go, what's the problem? Any type of relationship is criminalized. Obviously I get a ride from time to time. What the Federal Police has to prove, and it won't, is the exchange relationship", he stated.
In a meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), the now former leader of the government in the Senate complained about the PF's operation against him and called the photos released by the corporation with the money found and the watches seized "a shambles". He questioned the way the operation was carried out, since the minister of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) André Mendonça determined that the work would be "discreet".
"Why that pile of money on the bed with the PF shield? This process was common in Lava Jato. If the Federal Police is going to continue this type of spectacularization, I think the head of the Federal Police has to take care of it", he said.
Jaques maintained his initial position that he would not leave his position. In an interview last week, the senator even said that he would only leave the leadership if Lula decided. According to him, in the meeting held with the president on Wednesday (23), Lula questioned whether the congressman "had the brains" to defend himself and articulate things in the Senate. This would have been decisive for the removal.
The senator also said that he met Daniel Vorcaro twice, but that he is not afraid that his relationship with Augusto Lima will associate him with the complete Banco Master scandal.
"I have nothing to do with it. I met Vorcaro twice. When he came to introduce himself, he became a partner, and when I went to take the minister [Ricardo] Lewandowski. Augusto Lima said: 'We need to improve the standard of the bank. Do you have any suggestions for the legal area?' I said: 'Minister Lewandowski has only recently retired, I don't see a better name. I don't know if he wants to.' I asked and he said: 'I only want it if I'm like the head of legal consultancy.' I went to accompany the minister so he could meet Daniel", he said.
Source: CNN