The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Fernando Pezao, was arrested on
Thursday over allegations that he received bribes as part of the sprawling
“Car Wash” graft probe, according to Brazilian media.
The Globo News television channel showed live footage of federal
police at the residence of the governor, who remains in his home in
custody.
Pezao is accused of taking bribes when he was vice governor under Sergio Cabral, who is currently in prison.
The police also raided the Guanabara Palace, headquarters of Rio de Janeiro’s government, searching for documents.
The Superior Court of Justice issued the arrest warrant based on the
confession of Carlos Miranda, a former Cabral associate, who cooperated
in exchange for a sentence reduction.
According to Miranda’s testimony, Pezao would have received a monthly
payment of 150,000 reais ($40,000) as well as end-of-the-year bonuses of
up to one million reais.
The money would have been paid by companies and intermediaries bound
by contracts with the Rio de Janeiro government during a period from
2007 to 2014.
The state of Rio de Janeiro is on the verge of bankruptcy and plagued by insecurity.
Wilson Witzel was elected in October to govern the state and is set to take office January 1.
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