Andrei Rodrigues, director-general of the Federal Police, said the agency released photos of seized cash following established transparency patterns used in previous operations.
The move comes amid criticism regarding the investigation into Senator Jaques Wagner (PT-BA), highlighting the tension between police transparency and the legal rights of political figures under investigation.
The police action is part of the ninth phase [3] of an operation involving 18 search and seizure warrants [2]. This specific investigation focuses on allegations that Wagner received R$ 8 million [1] from Banco Master.
Rodrigues addressed the controversy from the Federal Police headquarters in Brasília on June 18. He said the decision to make the images public was to ensure the process remains open to scrutiny.
"We followed the same transparency pattern as in other operations when we released the photos of the cash seized," Rodrigues said.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva commented on the institutional role of the agency. He said the Federal Police have autonomy and must act whenever there are indications of irregularities.
Other political figures have called for caution during the proceedings. Davi Alcolumbre said the legal system must respect the presumption of innocence for all investigated persons.
The operation continues to examine the flow of funds and the nature of the relationship between the financial institution and the senator. The release of the photos was intended to justify the agency's standard practice in seizure operations, a method the director-general maintains is consistent across different cases regardless of the target's political status.
“"We followed the same transparency pattern as in other operations when we released the photos of the cash seized."”
The Federal Police's insistence on publishing evidence like seized cash serves as a strategic signal of institutional independence. By adhering to a 'transparency pattern,' the agency attempts to insulate itself from accusations of political persecution or bias, suggesting that the treatment of a high-ranking senator is no different from that of any other suspect in a financial crime investigation.
