The MPE (Public Ministry for Elections) has recommended to the TSE (Higher Electoral Court) not to approve the campaign accounts of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) in front of the Planalto Palace in 2018. In addition, the agency offered the PT to return to the state treasury 8.8 million reais that had been spent irregularly, nearly half of the 19.7 million reais it used in that year’s campaign.

Lula and Alcmine meeting with small entrepreneurs – Photo: Rovena Rosa/Agência Brasil/ND

The recommendations came from Deputy Attorney General for Elections Paulo Gustavo Gone Branco. He reviewed a report prepared by Asepa (Assessoria de Exame de Contas Partidarias) TSE on Lula’s liability, which found inconsistencies such as indirect receipt of funds from unidentified or unidentified sources, lack of operational capacity of campaign providers, among others.

“Given the identified violations, the reports cannot be considered approved, and the Ministry of Elections proposes to determine a payment to the National Treasury in the amount of 275,265.77 reais and a refund of the amount of 8,562,170.42 reais to the treasury, duly updated,” stated. Gonet.

Asepa told the Deputy Attorney General for Electoral Affairs that indications of irregularities in the use of financial resources from Lula’s campaign “may constitute illegal elections.” Gone said the MNO was investigating the complaints. “As a result, the Electoral Prosecutor General’s Office forwarded the information to the competent Electoral Prosecutor’s Office to determine materiality and take other appropriate action.”

Gone agreed with most of the violations presented by Asepa, especially that Lula wasted a disproportionate amount of the time he could campaign. In 2018, the ex-president began his election campaign on August 16, but his candidacy for the presidency was rejected by the TSE 16 days later, on September 1.

Part of the contracts was used by Fernando Haddad (PT), who became president instead of Lula. In any event, the Deputy Attorney General for Elections found that 8.04 million reais had been misused by the former president and offered to refund this amount to the public treasury.

Gone also believes that Lula did not describe in sufficient detail the cost of 253.6 thousand reais for graphic services. According to the institution, there was no evidence of the materiality of the costs and connection with the campaign.

The Deputy Attorney General for Electoral Affairs also concluded that the former president issued invoices in his own name but did not record documents in the invoices. Thus, according to the agency, Lula was unable to prove payment of expenses in the amount of 210.5 thousand reais, which is a prohibited donation from the supplier.

Similarly, Gone pointed out that Lula did not prove the R$161,300 expense for the plane charter. He should have presented invoices, which passengers used the transport and explained the relationship between the expense and the share, but he did not send information.

Gonet’s recommendations will be reviewed by Minister Benedito Gonçalves, who is responsible for evaluating Lula’s accounts in 2018. R7 requested a statement from the former president, but there was no response prior to the publication of this report. The space remains open for display.