The operation by the São Paulo Civil Police which targeted the production company responsible for the film Dark Horse, based on the life of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL)This triggered a public dispute between political authorities and representatives of the police force, reports the Folha de S. Paul.
After Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and the mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes (MDB), classified the action as possible political persecution, the Association of Civil Police Delegates of the State of São Paulo (ADPESP) defended the investigators and stated that the work follows the legal and constitutional parameters foreseen for the investigation of public contracts.
The operation was carried out last Monday (1st) and fulfilled search and seizure warrants at the headquarters of the production company Go UP Entertainment, responsible for the feature film, in addition to targeting the Instituto Conhecer Brasil (ICB). The two organizations have as their central figure the businesswoman Karina Ferreira da Gama, owner of the production company and president of the institute.
The investigation focuses on a R$ 108 million contract signed between ICB and the Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology of the City of São Paulo for the implementation of free internet services in areas of greater social vulnerability in the city of São Paulo.
Delegates reject accusation of persecution.
In interview with FSPThe president of ADPESP, delegate André Santos Pereira, refuted the criticisms directed at the operation and stated that the investigation follows the procedures stipulated by law.
According to him, the police work is based on technical and legal elements.
"The procedural and penal rite established by law" is being followed, stated the head of the organization.
Pereira also stressed that "no one is above the law" and cited observations made by the Municipal Court of Auditors (TCM) regarding the bidding process that resulted in the contract.
According to the police chief, the oversight body identified 20 irregularities in the bidding process and even recommended suspending the tender. Nevertheless, according to him, the municipal administration decided to continue the process.
"In my view, this is not a case of political persecution. It is about fulfilling the constitutional duty to investigate any irregularities in public contracts," he states.
Flávio Bolsonaro questions the operation.
The most forceful criticism came from Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who linked the investigation to the political and electoral context.
The legislator raised doubts about the motivations behind the operation and suggested that the action might have objectives that went beyond the contractual investigation.
"I just hope it's not state persecution by certain sectors to influence the elections," he said.
The statement came amid the fallout from investigations involving Go Up Entertainment, which has become central to discussions related to the financing of the film Dark Horse.
Ricardo Nunes speaks of disrespect for democracy.
Mayor Ricardo Nunes also reacted to the operation and classified the police action as a politically motivated episode.
The Municipal Secretariat of Innovation and Technology, linked to the city hall, was one of the locations targeted by the search and seizure warrants.
According to Nunes, the documents collected by the investigators had already been made available to the authorities responsible for the investigation. Behind the scenes, the mayor admitted that the police may have gained access to information that was not even available to the municipal administration itself.
When commenting on the possibility that the investigation was related to the film about Bolsonaro, Nunes raised the tone of his criticism.
"If the motivation, as you're telling me, is because of the film, then they're pursuing a contract with the city government in 2024 because of that. That's serious, it's political persecution," he said.
The film came into the spotlight after the Banco Master case.
Go UP Entertainment and Instituto Conhecer Brasil have been frequently mentioned following revelations involving the financing of the feature film Dark Horse.
The case gained notoriety after information surfaced indicating that Flávio Bolsonaro had approached businessman Daniel Vorcaro seeking funding for the film's production.
Reports from The Intercept Brazil indicated that Vorcaro had allocated R$ 61 million to the project.
According to the information released, the funds allegedly left Brazil through the company Entre Investimentos and reached the Havengate Development Fund, based in the United States and managed by Paulo Calixto, a lawyer associated with former congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP).
Go UP Entertainment, however, maintains that it did not receive any funds from Daniel Vorcaro.
In addition to the investigation involving the contract with the City of São Paulo, ICB also appears in records of receiving approximately R$ 700 in parliamentary amendments.
Karina Gama, who runs both the production company and the institute, gained national prominence after her close relationship with federal deputy Mário Frias (PL-RJ), former special secretary of Culture during the Bolsonaro government.
Tarcísio defends the autonomy of the Civil Police.
Amid the controversy, the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicanos), avoided criticizing the operation and reinforced the independence of the Civil Police.
During a visit to Rio Claro, in the interior of São Paulo state, the governor stated that the state government does not interfere in investigations conducted by the police force.
"The police operation is something we don't interfere with," said Tarcísio.
The governor emphasized that the investigation was conducted within the institutional mechanisms established for police and public prosecutor's office operations.
"The police have the autonomy to conduct their investigations and operations. It's a state institution. There was an ongoing investigation, a request from the Public Prosecutor's Office, and the police fulfilled that request," he stated.
Subsequently, he reinforced the government's position regarding the corporation's work.
"Therefore, we had the operation. And it will always be like this: the police will be and always will be a state institution, at the service of the state."
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