Federal Police investigates whether the Rio de Janeiro government, during Claudio Castro's administration (PL), favored the company Refit in granting environmental licenses. Former Environment and Sustainability Secretary Bernardo Rossi (União) is identified as responsible for pressuring a state commission to approve a new license for the refinery, despite identified risks to public health.
In messages obtained by the investigation, Rossi instructed the former secretary of the State Institute of the Environment (Inea) to "run over Ibama," which had a representative advocating against the license approval. When the vote was favorable to Refit, Rossi celebrated with allies. Claudio Castro himself sent a message to the owner of Refit, currently a fugitive from justice, saying: "Here you have a friend. Know that."
Federal Police also investigates that Castro had a caviar tasting at a luxury hotel in São Paulo, paid for by a former aide of Brazão with ties to Refit. According to the investigation, the message exchanges demonstrate "the establishment of a criminal organization within the environmental protection agencies of the State of Rio."
