Lava Jato: Brazil closes a corruption case involving De Vido, but stays in Argentina

Only with repentance is not enough. After several years of investigation and despite the confessions of four "informants", the Brazilian prosecutor opened a criminal investigation against four lawmakers from that country accused of collecting bribes to support the sale of the carrier. Argentine electricity.
To transfer to the firm Electroingeniería during Kirchnerism.

The decision of the prosecutor Raquel Dodge implied the closure of one of the investigations that integrate the Lava Jato in which they were explicitly identified and by their names to the exministro of the Federal Plan,

Julio de Vido

, and his adviser Roberto Dromi as alleged recipients of bribes at this sale.

The Brazilian investigation, however, focused only on possible crimes committed by officials and lobbyists in this country to unlock the sale of Transener. Vido and Dromi, however, remain under judicial control in Argentina, where the federal judge Sebastián Ramos and the prosecutor

Gerardo Pollicita

they are investigating this negotiation.

Dodge considered that the statements of the four repentants – although detailed and complementary – did not make it possible to formalize the charges against the suspects, since it had never been necessary to verify whether bribes were paid.

"Without identifying the financial operator or account [bancaria] related, the investigation is virtually unachievable, "said the attorney general, who claimed that" the line of investigation was exhausted without concrete prospect of new procedures "within a reasonable time.

The record of the case benefits Senators Renan Calheiros and Jader Barbalho, and former Senator Silas Rondeau and former President Aníbal Gomes, also official, reported by four repentants: Fernando Antonio Falcao Soares – better known as "Fernando Baiano" – operators Jorge and Bruno Luz – father and son – and former director of the international zone of the Brazilian state oil company Petrobras, Néstor Cerveró.

The mechanism

What do repentant Brazilians confess? In 2006, Petrobras signed an agreement with the American investment fund Eton Park for the sale of its 50% stake in Citelec, the company that controlled 52.65% of Transener's capital. But this operation was canceled for, bribes were sold to Electroingeniería for 54 million dollars.

According to a resolution of February 2017, the judge "Lava Jato" of the time, Sergio Moro, held several meetings in Brazil and Buenos Aires, during which Luz, Soares, Cervero, De Vido, Dromi and Gerardo Ferreyra and Osvaldo Acosta, owners of Electroingeniería, who now make up the lot of business leaders accused of the cause of

notebooks of corruption.

The first continues in detention; the second regained his freedom after becoming "repentant".

"Even if the case was closed with the US fund Eton Park", explained Judge Moro, "after Cerveró agreed to benefit Electroingeniería, the combination of the payment of a bribe and the refusal of the Argentine government to [aceptar] For the US fund as a Transener buyer, even with the criminal intervention of Argentine politicians, Transener was taken over by Electroingeniería, "said Moro." What he said happened "with the criminal intervention of Argentine politicians ".

The repentants admitted that in 2006 Petrobras signed an agreement with the Eton Park investment fund for the sale of its 50% stake in Citelec, the company that controlled 52.65% of Transener's capital. But this operation was canceled for, bribes were sold to Electroingeniería for 54 million dollars.

Cerveró admitted receiving a bribe of $ 300,000 that he had used to buy an apartment, but that he had also turned on the fan. "Minister De Vido has certainly received more than that
point [coima]", said in Brazil, while Soares took the same number, with an uncertain destination.In his decision, Moro only stated that it was used for" the payment of
advice to various officials as a result of this case ".

Already arrested, Moro sentenced Cerveró to 12 years in prison and Soares to 16, although both of them took refuge in the "prize-winning" regime, as well as Jorge and Bruno Luz, who confirmed the bribes. But even in this case, it was not enough to complete the survey, according to Dodge estimates.

"This circumstance, coupled with the prolonged temporary delay for alleged criminal acts, minimizes the chances of a successful investigation," he said, "who in fact had already exhausted the existing line of investigation. then without concrete perspective of new procedures ".

Open Research in Argentina

In Argentina, however, the investigation is still open with De Vido, Dromi and the owners of Electroingeniería as imputed and tested in the country, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States and Canada. Switzerland, which has already responded to a request for reports an account in Lugano that la Luz has used for criminal activities and must now respond to an explanatory request sent by an exhortation.

"The challenge is to prove where the money was used to bribe De Vido and Dromi in Brazil," said a judicial source, who explained that requests for international collaboration had been made. addressed and that the Federal Revenue Administration had been convened (AFIP).

Ramos and Pollicita have also decided to go ahead with the Brazilian authorities and have signed information exchange agreements. They also demanded that one of the "award-winning informants", Soares, be interviewed in Brazil with specific questions about the alleged kickbacks to De Vido and Dromi. .

While this interrogation was taking place, the local investigators had already verified that the meetings that would have taken place in Buenos Aires had taken place, which resulted from the migration records, flights and the Federal Planning Ministry. But the most difficult thing remains: to reconstruct the supposed road of the black currency.