Lulinha case generates reaction in the PT and reignites debate about interference in the PF

The change promoted by the PF (Federal Police) in coordinating the investigation that investigates fraud at the INSS (National Social Security Institute), which involves people close to Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, known as Lulinha, provoked reactions behind the scenes at the PT and reignited the political debate about possible interference in the corporation.

The exchange, which resulted in the departure of delegate Guilherme Figueiredo Silva from coordinating the case, occurred amid progress in investigations related to the INSS scandal and, as CNN showed, even surprised Minister André Mendonça, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), responsible for decisions related to the investigation.

In PT, exchange is seen as natural. The reading in the public discourse is that there was a delay in the investigations, which motivated the exchange. According to deputy Nilto Tatto (PT-SP), this is an expected internal procedure of the PF.

"Evidently the delay in carrying out the investigations led to the change in the delegate responsible for this case. I see that the change is more of an internal matter for the PF to speed up and determine whether the delegate who was responsible was making political use and not carrying out the investigation as should be done", he stated.

The opposition to the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in Congress criticized the replacement of the delegate and approved, last Tuesday (19), an invitation for the general director of the PF, Andrei Rodrigues, to explain the changes.

In the assessment of political scientist Vitor Sandes, the PT's tendency is to try to contain political wear and tear and reinforce the discourse of respect for institutions.

"I believe that the PT tends to react cautiously, trying to gain time, reduce the temperature of this discussion and reduce the extent of the impact of the case on the pre-candidacy for re-election of the current president, Lula", he states.

Sandes also assesses that the change in the coordination of the investigation inevitably puts suspicions of political interference back on the agenda. "The opposition must explore this strongly in the public debate", he says.

Impact on the elections
On the other hand, professor Luís Gustavo Teixeira Martins, from the Federal University of Pampa, points out that the episode can be classified as an institutional problem, but that the exchange may face difficulty in gaining strength in a possible electoral debate due to recent precedents involving Jair Bolsonaro (PL) at the time he was President of the Republic.

"Despite being a big problem from an institutional point of view, I understand that this can hardly be taken forward in the public debate, given the statements made by President Jair Bolsonaro at the time, explicitly saying his desire to change the director of the PF so that he would not have any interference in the life of any friend or family member", observes Martins.

For Vitor Sandes, the electoral impact of the case will depend on the issue remaining on the public agenda and the emergence of more robust evidence linking Lulinha to the INSS scandal.

Last week, the PF took a statement from businesswoman Roberta Luchsinger, who was being investigated in connection with INSS fraud. A friend of Lulinha, she denied the existence of money transfers to the president's son, but said she introduced him to Antônio Carlos Camilo Antunes, known as "Careca do INSS", investigated for INSS fraud.

Fraud at INSS: what is known about Lulinha's friend's statement to the PF

"The opposition could use the case to reactivate memories of Lava Jato and reinforce anti-corruption narratives, using the case to reinforce an anti-corruption agenda", he states.

Luís Gustavo assesses that any evidence involving the president's son could bring political harm to Lula's re-election project.

"The developments in the testimony of Lulinha's friend, which highlights the relationship between Lulinha and Careca from the INSS, could have a very harmful effect on Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's candidacy for re-election", he says.

According to the professor, "any evidence, whether documentary or testimonial, can have a very harmful effect on the presidential race." Despite this, he says that the episode alone is unlikely to be decisive in the 2026 presidential race.

STF: Mendonça will open proceedings to investigate changes in the PF in the Lulinha case | H TIME

Source: CNN