Security: Brazil
Brazil’s Federal Police searched the parents of a sitting congressman, and a trucking company linked to his family, on Tuesday 10 November 2026. The probe covers federal money meant for local projects in Bahia, and the congressman, Neto Carletto of the small Avante party, was not searched and says he is not a target and did nothing wrong.
Key Facts
—What. Police served five search warrants on 10 November 2026 in three Bahia towns, including Itamaraju.
—Money. Two federal amendments worth R$8.6 million (US$1.5 million) went to the Bahia town of Coração de Maria.
—Cash. Cash withdrawals of R$762,989 (US$135,000) were scheduled in August 2026; R$650,000 (US$115,000) came from the mother’s accounts.
—Response. Carletto, a federal deputy from Bahia, was not searched and says his conduct was lawful.
—Power Index. Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 74.2 points (November 2026 edition).
Cash withdrawals and a trucking company sit at the centre of a Federal Police case over how federal budget amendments were spent. No charges have been filed.
What Police Say They Found
The Federal Police operation, called Fluxo Paralelo, carried out five search warrants issued by Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino. Targets included the deputy’s mother, Mariza Aparecida Carletto, his father, Orlando Sulz de Almeida Filho, the trucking company Expresso Brasileiro Transportes, which police describe as linked to the Carletto family, and Juliana de Oliveira Lima, an employee of a relative of the deputy.
Investigators say two amendments worth R$8.6 million (about US$1.5 million) went to the town of Coração de Maria, in Bahia. The town received R$44.3 million (about US$7.8 million) in Pix amendments between 2020 and 2024, which are special transfers that send federal budget money straight to a town with few controls on how it is spent.
An audit by the federal Comptroller General’s Office, known as the CGU, found signs of irregularities in how the money was used. They include possible irregularities in bidding, payment for services not performed or only partly performed, possible overpricing and money whose final use could not be shown.
Police and Coaf, the federal financial intelligence unit, then traced a pattern of large cash withdrawals by people close to the deputy. In August 2026 alone, withdrawals of R$762,989 (about US$135,000) were scheduled, including R$650,000 (about US$115,000) from accounts in the mother’s name in which police say Oliveira Lima took part.
The Trail From Bank to Trucking Depot
Oliveira Lima has worked since 2018 for a relative of the deputy, registered as a rural worker with a monthly salary of about R$1,451 (about US$256). Investigators are examining whether she acted as an intermediary, because the withdrawals are far larger than that income.
Banco do Brasil, the state-controlled bank, had three withdrawals of R$200,000 (about US$35,000) each scheduled at its Itamaraju branch for 14, 21 and 28 August 2026. Police say that after the first two withdrawals Oliveira Lima went to the garage of Expresso Brasileiro Transportes.
Police seized more than R$607,000 (about US$107,000) in cash during the searches on 10 November. The money’s origin has not been established.
What Carletto Says
Carletto said he is not directly investigated in the operation, that he trusts the legality of his conduct and the integrity of those affected. No one has been charged.
A federal deputy has special forum at the Supreme Court, which is why Justice Dino signed the warrants. Prosecutors must still decide whether any case follows.
What It Means for Readers Abroad
Amendments are a key bargaining tool between President Lula’s government and Congress, so cases like this shape how budget talks go. They are also at the centre of the debate over how much federal money reaches local projects with clear records.
For foreign investors, the lesson is about governance more than markets. The residents of Coração de Maria and nearby towns are the people most directly affected.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether prosecutors will charge anyone, or whether the deputy will be asked to testify. The Federal Police have not said how much cash, if any, was proved to come from the two amendments.
No court date has been announced. No statement from the relatives or the trucking company has been found so far.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Neto Carletto?
He is a federal deputy from Bahia for the small Avante party. Police did not search him; they searched his parents and a trucking company linked to his family.
What are Pix amendments?
They are special budget transfers that let lawmakers send federal money directly to a town or state. Critics say they make spending hard to trace.
Sources
Sources: Federal Police operation Fluxo Paralelo, search warrants of 10 November 2026 issued by the Supreme Court (Federal Police); Comptroller General’s Office audit of the amendments (CGU); statement by deputy Neto Carletto; RT exchange rate of 13 November 2026 (R$5.67 per US$1). Read next: Prison officers held in a bribe probe, Police probe flood pump contracts, Chamber asks court to overturn Dino rules and Brazil news.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
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