Brazilian lawmakers Cobalchini and Barreto scrutinized for public fund allocations

Federal deputy Valdir Cobalchini (MDB) has been identified by the Tribunal de Contas of Santa Catarina as the parliamentarian who released the largest amount of parliamentary amendments to the Grande Oeste region of the state. Between 2023 and 2025 he directed R$ 75,513,303 to 104 municipalities, with 72 % earmarked for investment projects and 28 % for service costs. The report notes that senators and other deputies also contributed funds, but Cobalchini’s total represents 6.8 % of the R$ 1.1 billion allocated to the region.

State deputy Cafu Barreto (União Brasil) was found to have spent more than R$ 100,000 in 2026 on advertising and marketing services supplied by Flamboyant – Marketing, Publicidade e Propaganda. Invoices covered photography, video capture of parliamentary activities, social‑media management, content creation, paid traffic, SEO and website development, with a recorded glosa of R$ 3,486.45. Further investigation suggests the contracts may involve multiple companies owned by the same entrepreneur, raising concerns about the concentration of public‑fund contracts.

Both cases highlight the use of public resources by elected officials for regional development and political promotion, prompting calls for greater transparency and oversight.