The pre-election candidate, Rio de Janeiro Gov. Claudio Castro (PL), used a state helicopter to attend the launch of a political ally’s pre-candidacy in the interior of Rio de Janeiro last week.
On the night of June 14, Castro flew aboard a state government aircraft from Nova Friburgo, Serrana region, to Barra Mansa, in Sul Fluminense, where he took part in a political event organized by state deputy Marcelo Cabelleiro (DC), which is a political stronghold in city.
The governor claims through his press office that he used the helicopter for “recommendations and security protocols to heads of state” and “for the conduct of activities consistent with public service.” However, the Barra Mansa appointment was not on his official agenda (see full note below).
To justify the use of the plane, Castro formulated Marcelo Cabelleiro and Rodrigo Drable (União Brasil), mayor of Barra Mansa, a lightning-fast agenda: the three went to a popular restaurant that the state is renovating in the municipality under the pretense of inspecting the work.
Sources Heard UOL the governor is reported to have spent several minutes there, where he only took a picture with the allies from scratch (pictured below). He then went to the political event of Marcelo Cabelleiro.
June 14, 2022 – Governor Claudio Castro (in a black suit) poses with allies at work at a popular restaurant in Barra Mansa.
Image: Publicity/Barra Mansa City Hall
helicopter costs
On this day, Castro announced his commitment to Nova Friburgo, in a mountainous area, where he remained from morning until late evening. The city is about 160 km by car from Barra Mansa, travel time is about 3.5 hours. By helicopter, the trip takes about 45 minutes, depending on weather conditions.
In the report, the government asked about the cost of this trip, but there was no answer.
Two companies operating helicopters of the same model as Castro, the Agusta AW109SP, claim that each hour of flight between Nova Friburgo and Barra Mansa costs about $1,293 (R$6,644.72 at yesterday’s price).
Calculation – made by companies upon request Column UOL Todos a Bordo, for this story – includes direct maintenance costs, fuel, takeoff and landing fees. The cost does not include the removal of Castro following the Barra Mansa agenda, which has not been disclosed.
The use of the plane by Castro and his secretaries costs the state millions of dollars.
In terms of fuel, the estimated cost of this helicopter model is BRL 389,000 per year, in accordance with the terms of reference for the purchase of jet fuel prepared in February. The aircraft’s annual maintenance costs R$732,000, based on the values of the latest amendment signed by Rio for this purpose in May.
Allied event changed theme
Other elements indicate that the governor’s trip to Barra Mansa was for the sole purpose of attending a political event with an ally.
Even though a formal engagement in the city was not on Castro’s agenda, Marcelo Cabelleiro advertised the governor’s presence at his event on his social media for at least a week.
The topic has changed. Initially, Cabelleiro regarded the meeting as a nomination of his candidacy – he will try to be re-elected as a state deputy. However, in the second moment, this event came to be seen as the responsibility for his current mandate.
“I invite everyone to put forward my preliminary candidacy for re-election next Tuesday with the participation of our governor Claudio Castro. It will be at 19:00 at Ilha Clube (Avenida Presidente Kennedy, n. 854, Ano Bom) an invitation to the entire population of our state, ”the congressman posted on his page in facebook June 7, a week before the rally.
All advertising for the event, including banners on the stage where Marcelo Cabelleiro, Castro and other officials performed, photographs of the governor were posted.
The barber is now one of Castro’s closest deputies. This month alone, it was the fifth agenda they held together in Sul Fluminense, having previously visited cities such as Volta Redonda and Resende.
Castro steps up campaign trips
The use of helicopters by the governor, secretaries and other authorities is regulated by a 2013 decree. According to the rule, aircraft can only be used “on official business trips or for the safety of the authorities.” The Decree also specifies that in case of misuse of aircraft, the opening of an investigation is mandatory.
Since taking office as interim governor at the end of August 2020, Castro has made 270 flights in government aircraft. On many occasions he used the plane for short trips within the city of Rio or to neighboring municipalities that could be made by car.
Travel has increased this year as the governor has stepped up his presence in rural areas as a campaign strategy. In the first quarter of this year, Castro flew 96 helicopter flights, more than double the 46 he made in the same period in 2021.
The number of takeoffs by the governor also contrasts with other uses of the state’s aircraft. The organ transplant program, for example, has made 158 flights since August 2020, including trips to transport organs, specialists to collect, and other related commitments.
In September 2021, former governor Sergio Cabral and former first lady Adriana Anselmo were sentenced to 11 years in prison for using Rio de Janeiro government helicopters for personal use. The verdict of Judge Andre Felipe Veras de Oliveira of the capital’s 32nd Criminal Court also ruled that the couple would reimburse the state treasury for almost 20 million reais.
Other side
In the memo, the state government defended the use of a helicopter for Castro’s trip to Barra Mansa:
“The use of the helicopter is in line with the safety recommendations and protocols of the heads of state. Governor Claudio Castro’s flights are determined by the government’s Office of Institutional Security (GSI) and consider the route, vehicles, security of the chief executive and third parties, in addition to the urgency of travel.
All flights on state government aircraft are for public service purposes as provided for in Executive Order 44.310. On June 14, the governor went to oversee the work of the Restaurante do Povo de Barra Mansa.
In 2021, the State Fleet registered 2,085 flight hours. Of this total, 31 hours were spent serving the Governor, representing only 1.5% of the total number of displaced persons. Everything else was for the civil and military police, for civil defense and fire protection, as well as for the health department, which, for example, distributed vaccines against Covid to the entire population.
