New Rio Health Secretary Reports Death Threat: ‘We’re Stirring up a Hornet’s Nest’

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Current Rio de Janeiro state Health Secretary Carlos Alberto Chaves reported during his deposition at the impeachment trial session against suspended Rio Governor Wilson Witzel that he is being threatened to death.

“We’re stirring up a hornet’s nest,” he said, referring to the contracts signed between Social Organizations and the State of Rio de Janeiro in the healthcare area. The Mixed Special Court (TEM), which is judging Rio’s ousted governor’s impeachment, took the depositions of witnesses for the case on Thursday, December 17th.

According to the Secretary, all contracts signed with Social Organizations either had none or poor inspection. “It seems like everything was done in order to fail. Everything I’m finding, I’m bringing to the inspection bodies. They were designed to overbill. When I took over, there were still R$767 (US$150.4) million left over to be paid to Social Organizations. I suspended everything.”

With respect to the Maracanã field Hospital, Chaves said that, in his second week of administration, he found seven storage units of equipment that were idle, deteriorating. And that all had been catalogued and assigned to other hospitals.

The ventilators bought by the government weren’t used. Chaves said that all the data he is collecting are being forwarded to the inspection bodies so that those responsible may be punished.

According to Chaves, the entire Health Secretariat was involved and all the former managers are no longer part of the portfolio. “I am proud to say this. Now we only have the home-grown, career staff, civil servants like myself.”

Chaves also said that the pandemic exposed Rio’s precarious public health system and criticized the line of bed regulation, which he classified as “currency for political use”.

“My struggle is to achieve a single regulation. Better late than never. I am fighting to open beds in university and federal hospitals, but I can’t. They say there are no human resources. This lack of human resources they are claiming is a fallacy. I spent three months undercover in the Ministry of Health last year. Just look at the payroll and you will see that there are enough people. But they don’t punch the card. That’s the truth,” he said.

“When I say everyone was involved I mean placing certain people in certain positions. The state health fund was within the executive under-secretariat”, he added.

Asked if the involvement could represent a criminal organization, the Secretary said yes. Also asked if in his opinion this involvement could have happened without Wilson Witzel’s knowledge, Chaves answered: “The troops are a reflection of their commander. That was something I learned in the Navy.”

Edmar Santos remains silent

Ex-secretary of Health Edmar Santos testified after Mário Peixoto and refused to answer most of the judges and state deputies’ questions.

Edmar Santos was guaranteed the right granted by the Federal Superior Court (STJ), in which the court states that his deposition in the plea bargaining agreement, within the scope of the case involving the Iabas Social Organizations and Unir Saúde is under judicial seal.

Edmar Santos did not answer any questions involving Iabas and Unir Saúde, and names such as Mário Peixoto and Lucas Tristão.