Lava Jato Judges Do Not Follow Strike

03/15/2018 - 11h39

The federal judges who became the symbol of the Lava Jato operation will not follow the national strike called by Brazil's judges against the possibility of extinguishing the housing aid they receive.

The strike is scheduled to occur on Thursday, March 15, and will be promoted by several judge associations across the country.

The plan is to pressure the Supreme Court (STF), which will discuss the issue on March 22.

João Pedro Gebran Neto, Victor Laus and Leandro Paulsen, judges of the Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region (TRF-4), the court responsible for the Lava Jato cases in their second instance, have a session scheduled for Thursday.

	Sergio Lima/Folhapres
	The Supreme Court in Brasilia

Judge Marcelo Bretas, responsible for the Lava Jato operations in Rio de Janeiro, also has working appointments scheduled for the same day.

The website of the Federal Courts of the state of Paraná says that Judge Sergio Moro does not have hearings scheduled for the day of the strike; however, his press office said that he has not commented on whether he will take part.

Folha de S.Paulo disclosed that Judge Moro receives R$ 4,378 (US$ 1,332) every month as housing aid, although he has a house in the capital city.

Judge Bretas went to court so that he and his wife, who is also a judge, can continue to receive the benefit. A decision by the National Council of Justice (CNJ) rules that couples living together cannot receive housing aid.

It is not illegal for a judge who has a home in the city where he works to receive the housing aid; however, receiving the benefit in this case is often questioned.

An estimate by Contas Abertas NGO shows that, from September 2014 to December 2017, the Brazilian government and states paid some R$ 5 billion (US$ 1,53 billion) in housing aid.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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