Historical heritage institute opens probe following our reporting

Iphan, Brazil’s National Institute of Historic Heritage, opened an internal investigation into possible conflicts of interest involving Cândido Henrique, its superintendent in the northeastern state of Ceará. The case was revealed in March by The Brazilian Report in March.

Despite his role in Iphan, Mr. Henrique retained his position as a partner at a private company that provides services in areas Iphan is responsible for inspecting. He also offered a class on how to obtain licensing through Iphan, with tickets costing 20 percent of the minimum wage.

Besides the case of Mr. Henrique, the report also showed how Iphan — responsible for listing items of historical and intangible value in the country — has lost power in recent years and has become a space to accommodate political allies with no background in the field.

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