Brazil: son of José Dirceu, convicted in Lava Jato and Mensalão, will lead the PT bench in the Chamber

After many negotiations, the PT chose congressman Zeca Dirceu (PR) as leader of the party in the Chamber until early 2025. From then on, he will pass the baton to Lindbergh Farias (RJ), who will remain in that post until 2026.

The choice took place after a clash between different wings of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s party. The majority current of the PT, Construindo Um Novo Brasil (CNB), had defined that Zeca Dirceu and Odair Cunha (MG) would be the leaders of the party in the next two years.

Other party groups, however, wanted Lindbergh as leader next year. As a way of resolving the impasse, the majority wing of the PT gave up having Odair Cunha as leader in 2024 and extended the leadership of Zeca Dirceu for another year, who is the son of former congressman and former Minister of Civil House José Dirceu.

In 2005, the then Chief of Staff of Lula da Silva was removed from office, hit by the Mensalão scandal. He then had his mandate revoked by the House. Zeca’s father was also tried in Lava Jato and, unlike Lula, his conviction was upheld by the Superior Court of Justice (STJ).

The former minister allegedly used his influence to favor Petrobras, receiving undue amounts in exchange for appointments. Sentenced to 30 years in prison, José Dirceu awaits the judgment of the appeal in freedom.

Lindbergh, who was once a senator and led the PT bench in the House, went so far as to say that the election of Zeca Dirceu to lead the party this year would not take place if there was no agreement for someone outside the majority current to lead the party next year. . However, at the meeting held this Thursday, the 5th, a compromise was reached, which guaranteed the leadership of the Rio de Janeiro parliamentarian and the first two years for the CNB.

Internal divergences by space are common in PT. Lindbergh himself was involved in a similar dispute when he ran for president of the party against Gleisi, in 2017. The deputy was chosen that year to represent the PT and remains in office until today.

Currently, she and the deputy from Rio de Janeiro are dating. Within the party, the possibility of Farias being secretary general of the PT was evaluated, a position that will become vacant with the departure of the current occupant, Paulo Teixeira, to the Ministry of Agrarian Development. Despite this, the deputy himself rejects taking on the role to prevent it from being associated with his relationship with Gleisi.

With information from Estadão Conteúdo/Jovem Pan