Thirteen Percent of the Bolsonaro Clan’s Appointees Were Not in Their Posts

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Of the 286 officials that president Jair Bolsonaro and his sons Flávio, Carlos, and Eduardo have hired in their parliamentary offices in the past 28 years, there is evidence in at least 37 cases that the advisors were not working in their posts. The figure represents thirteen percent of the total number of advisors to the Bolsonaro clan’s mandates.

The data is part of the mapping done by Globo in official journals and using the Access to Information Law on all parliamentary advisors appointed by the family since 1991. A data cross-check showed that at least 102 have some family ties or kinship to each other.

Of the 37 people who were listed as advisors, but show evidence of not having effectively worked in their positions, twenty are under investigation by Rio’s Prosecutor’s Office in the case of embezzlement and money laundering, as well as administrative impropriety, in the former cabinet of Flávio Bolsonaro in the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (ALERJ).

These are people like Márcia Oliveira de Aguiar, wife of Fabrício Queiroz, formerly Flavio’s security guard, targeted by the Financial Activities Control Council (COAF) for atypical transactions of R$1.2 million (US$300,000). Márcia was an advisor for ten years and never had a name badge in ALERJ, besides declaring herself a “hairdresser” in a domestic violence lawsuit. This is also the case of Nathália Queiroz, who worked as a personal trainer while she was an advisor to Flávio and even to Jair.

Among those investigated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and who show evidence that they have not worked in their posts are ten people linked to the family of Ana Cristina Siqueira Valle, former wife of Jair Bolsonaro. All of them held positions in Flavio’s cabinet and lived in Resende during the period in which they were listed as advisors.

In June, O Globo disclosed the stories of retiree José Procópio da Silva Valle, retired teacher Maria José de Siqueira e Silva, bodybuilder Andrea Siqueira Valle and veterinarian Francisco Diniz. The first two never had a badge in ALERJ. Andrea was a cleaning lady, and Diniz studied veterinary medicine in Barra Mansa in the period.

Nutritionist Rafael Góes was an advisor to Carlos Bolsonaro’s office between 2001 and 2008. When asked if he had worked in the office, he also said “no.” Days later, faced again with the information, he said he “was in a hurry” and told the reporter to see the current chief of staff, Jorge Fernandes.

Época magazine disclosed in June that Marta da Silva Valle, Ana Cristina Siqueira Valle’s sister-in-law, has always lived in Juiz de Fora (MG), but was stationed in Carlos’ office, between 2001 and 2009. When asked, she confessed that she had never worked for Carlos.

“I didn’t work in any office, no. My family worked there, but I didn’t,” said Marta.

Through the offices of the Bolsonaros, 64 advisors who had their confidentiality breached, are currently being investigated by the Rio MP on suspicion of splitting salaries in Flávio’s office in ALERJ.

The advisors of Senator Flavio Bolsonaro said that “the appointment of these people was carried out in a straightforward way and accordance with the rules of ALERJ.” Besides, “the people who were appointed, at the time, were qualified for the positions they held. They worked in different areas, but always for their mandate, so much so that voting as a state deputy was increasing.”

The Palácio do Planalto said it would not comment and city councilor Carlos Bolsonaro did not return the calls.

The Queiroz family’s defense counsel said that “all questions related to the Rio Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation have already been answered and that at the appropriate procedural moment, he would provide further information.”