New Prosecutor General Wants Return of Lava-Jato Prosecutors Who Resigned in Protest

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Appointed to lead the Federal Prosecutor’s Office (PGR), assistant prosecutor Augusto Aras told delegates that he will retain the current members of the Lava-Jato task forces in the states and that he wants to reinstate prosecutors who resigned from the PGR working group last week, in protest against the current Prosecutor General, Raquel Dodge.

Aras has not yet formally issued invitations to his future investigative personnel, but he has begun probing for names that can make up his team in the PGR. In his work discussions, held since his appointment was announced on Thursday by President Jair Bolsonaro, the assistant prosecutor told people who assist him in this task that members of all lower-court task forces will be invited to continue.

After having nominated Aras, Bolsonaro said that the exit of the group of Lava-Jato prosecutors had been a factor that weighed down Raquel Dodge’s name in the race to command the PGR.

Six prosecutors resigned in protest of a declaration by Dodge who called for preliminary filing of excerpts from the plea bargaining testimony of Léo Pinheiro, former president of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAS), as reported by O GLOBO last Wednesday. Aras was appointed the following day.

This wave could help pacify the internal climate within the Federal Prosecutor’s Office after his appointment. Prosecutors have criticized the selection of Aras on social media, and the National Association of Federal Prosecutors (ANPR) called for demonstrations on Monday in defense of the institution. Aras was not a candidate for the list of three names submitted to the President.

In private conversations, however, Aras has also criticized Lava Jato’s “personalism”, without quoting names, but the statement has been viewed as a reference to its coordinator, Deltan Dallagnol.

At least two people have already been officially interviewed, and feelers have been put out on others by Aras in recent days. Among them is prosecutor Ailton Benedito, head of the Goiás Prosecutor’s Office, who is politically aligned with the government of Jair Bolsonaro. Ailton was nominated by the government to join the Commission of Deaths and Disappearances, but had his name vetoed by the Superior Council of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

Another name, retired assistant prosecutor Eitel Santiago Pereira, confirmed on his social media that he accepted the invitation to be General Secretary of Aras’ administration, as anticipated by columnist Lauro Jardim on Monday. The position is in charge of the Prosecutor’s Office administrative and budgetary management and can be held by people from outside the office. For this reason, there is no impediment for Santiago to take it, even though he is retired.

Late Monday morning, Aras was at the PGR to meet Raquel Dodge and deal with the transition. The current prosecutor general provided advisors to act in this task, such as strengthening institutional security, communication, and parliamentary advice, to assist in dialogue with the Senate during the confirmation procedure.

The conversation was mild, with mutual praise, according to sources. Aras expressed his gratitude for a speech by Dodge on Friday, during an event in Goiânia, in which she wished the new nominee well. Dodge will provide MPF management reports and budget information for Aras to begin the transition work with his team.