Cleitinho Azevedo faces scrutiny over undisclosed use of private aircraft

Senator Cleitinho Azevedo, a candidate for the governorship of Minas Gerais, is facing scrutiny over the alleged undisclosed use of private aircraft during his election campaign. While the senator has claimed in social media videos that he travels primarily by car, flight records from the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) suggest otherwise.

One specific aircraft, a Cirrus SR SST (registration PS-ECR) owned by businessman Eliésio Carlos Rodrigues, reportedly made dozens of flights between various Minas Gerais cities and Brasília since the start of the campaign. Another aircraft, a Cessna 210L (registration PR-SBS) owned by Roberto Altino Machado, was reportedly lent to Federal Deputy Euclydes Pettersen for approximately 18 months. During this period, the plane frequently flew between Divinópolis and Brasília, with reports indicating the senator was among the occupants.

The use of these aircraft has led to legal challenges, including an action filed with the Regional Electoral Court (TRE-MG) questioning potential abuse of economic power. The investigations aim to clarify who funded the flight expenses and the exact nature of the relationship between the candidates and the business owners providing the transportation.