Covid hearings will leave gaps in crucial investigations

Approaching the end of its lifespan, the final result of the Brazilian Senate’s Covid inquiry will leave a lot to be desired. Despite five months of investigations and a final report that is set to request the indictment of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro for a series of crimes committed during the pandemic, there are a number of lines of inquiry that will remain unfinished.

Among them is the suspicion that public funds were embezzled from a contract between the Health Ministry and logistics firm VTCLog, in charge of transporting immunizers and medications, including Covid-19 vaccines. Members of the inquiry say the VTCLog case is among the most complex they have encountered during their five months of hearings, and that the investigation is far from a conclusion — as it involves allegations made against high-ranking members of one of the key parties propping up the Bolsonaro government: the Progressistas (PP) party.

“So far, things with VTCLog haven’t made much progress. I think it will be very difficult for us to conclude an investigation into the case,” explains Senator Humberto Costa, a member of the Covid inquiry. “So, we are trying to gather as much evidence as possible so that when we forward the case to prosecution services we will have enough to help them further the probe or open a case.”

VTCLog has held contracts with the Health Ministry since 2018. One foresees the provision of services until 2023 at a value of BRL 97 million (USD 17.6 million). According to a complaint received by the Covid inquiry, 10 percent of the total value of VTCLog’s contracts with the government were distributed to three...