MP with the TCU questions government propaganda for the end of the 6×1 scale

A representation of the Public Ministry at the TCU (Federal Audit Court) requests the Court to open an investigation into the use of R$80 million in public resources allocated to the communication campaign in defense of the end of the 6×1 work schedule.

The request was presented by Deputy Attorney General Lucas Rocha Furtado, who also requests the analysis of a possible precautionary suspension of advertising.

In the representation, Furtado argues that the campaign, launched by the federal government to promote the proposed reduction in working hours, presents characteristics similar to those that led the TCU to suspend, in 2019, an advertisement by the then Jair Bolsonaro (PL) government about the so-called "anti-crime package".

According to the prosecutor, the Court considered at the time that there was not sufficient public interest to justify the use of public resources in the dissemination of a legislative proposal that was still being processed in the National Congress. The understanding was that advertising went beyond the merely informative character and came closer to promoting a political agenda.

Now, the representative of the Public Ministry maintains that the campaign to end the 6×1 scale also deals with a matter that has not yet completed its legislative processing. Although the proposal was approved by the Chamber of Deputies, it still needs to be analyzed by the Senate before it comes into force.

The document mentions that Secom (Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic) would have allocated around R$80 million for the campaign, an amount eight times higher than the approximately R$10 million estimated for advertising the anti-crime package that was suspended in 2019.

For Furtado, the content of the advertising pieces goes beyond providing information to the population and adopts a tone of celebration of the measure, directly attributing the merits of the proposal to the federal government. In the prosecutor's opinion, this may constitute a deviation from the constitutional purpose of institutional advertising.

The representation also questions the transparency of spending. According to the deputy attorney general, the detailed values of the campaigns would not be easily available to the public, which would justify a specific investigation by the control body.

In the request sent to the TCU, the Public Prosecutor's Office requires an analysis of the legality, legitimacy, economics and purpose of campaign expenses, including contracts, amounts invested, means of dissemination and content of advertising pieces.

In addition, it requests that the Court make public the criteria used to monitor institutional campaigns that have potential political repercussions, with the aim of ensuring equality and coherence in the body's actions.

Finally, the representation requests that the TCU evaluate the need for partial or total suspension of the campaign while the investigation is ongoing and, if irregularities are identified, determine the responsibility of the managers involved and the adoption of the appropriate measures.

CNN contacted Secom of the Presidency of the Republic, but so far has not received a response.

PL sues TCU against advertising campaign about end of 6x1 scale | BEHIND THE SCENES CNN

Source: CNN