Ex-Presidents of São Paulo Metro Company to Face Charges after Court Order

04/19/2018 - 12h02

The courts of São Paulo made the five former presidents of the capital city's subway system become defendants, including the current secretary of the state's Transportation Department, Clodoaldo Pelissioni, and the head of the São Paulo City Hall Chief of Staff, Sergio Avelleda. The president of the company, Paulo Menezes, will also face charges.

The civil proceedings on the grounds of misconduct of office include the periods when the state was managed by PSDB politicians José Serra, Alberto Goldman and Geraldo Alckmin. The case was accepted in the same month as Governor Alckim is leaving office to run for president.

Last week the Lava Jato task force in the São Paulo Public Prosecutor's Office had already requested access to the investigations against the former governor which were at the Federal Superior Court of Appeals (STJ). However, the case was sent to the electoral courts.

The defendants in the subway company case will face charges for the purchase of 26 subway cars for R$ 615 million (US$ 181 million) in 2011.

In addition to the company's former and current presidents, its former director and an ex-manager were also included, as well as the former secretary of Metropolitan Transportation, Jurandir Fernandes, and the company itself.

The cars would be used in the line 5-Lilás of the subway; however they were not put into service because the expansion had not been finished. Only after the trial will a final decision on defendants' responsibility be made.

The press office of the Department of Metropolitan Transportation said that "the case is outrageous and completely out of purpose."

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language