Brazil’s antitrust watchdog revealed that federal police and prosecutors executed a search warrant related to an investigation into state-owned oil giant Petrobras requested by the electric power company EPE.
The EPE asked Cade to condemn Petrobras for anti-competitive conduct and requested that, until the final assessment of the request, Cade adopted a preventive measure against the company, forcing Petrobras to immediately cease the alleged infraction, according to the local authority.
Former special adviser to the president of the Republic, Rocha Loures was recorded by federal agents leaving a pizzeria in the south zone of São Paulo, carrying a suitcase with money passed on by the owner of JBS. The bribe was reportedly to defend the interests of the company in a proceeding by the Administrative Council of Economic Defense (Cade).
On Friday the Federal Public Ministry and the Federal Police have executed a search warrant and seizure in the council to obtain copies of documents produced within the investigation.
“In the course of the administrative inquiry EPE made or reiterated its request for a preventive measure at least six times, which request was not granted by Cade at any time. There has also so far been no opinion or decision of Cade in favor of EPE , and numerous letters and instructions were issued by the technical area of the organ, which shows that the case has been conducted within normality and without any favors, ” Cade said in a statement.
It should be noted that Cade did not grant the initiation, in this case, of an administrative proceeding, a more advanced procedure that opens a formal indictment against a company that has been denounced, after recognizing robust evidence of infringement the statement added.
Full Content: Agencia Brasil
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