Mato Grosso Court suspends Várzea Grande transport inquiry

The Court of Justice of Mato Grosso (TJMT) has ordered the temporary suspension of a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) intended to investigate public transportation services in Várzea Grande. The commission aimed to examine the operations of the company União Transporte e Turismo between 2016 and 2026.

The suspension follows an appeal by the Municipal Chamber. The presiding judge, Wesley Sanchez Lacerda, noted irregularities in the original request, specifically that 17 out of 23 councilors had been listed as witnesses. Under internal regulations, being named a witness disqualifies a councilor from serving on the commission. This mass designation of witnesses appeared to be a procedural maneuver to artificially reduce the pool of eligible members and influence the selection process.

Additionally, the court raised questions regarding the eligibility of the request's author, councilor Caio Cordeiro, due to his previous involvement in technical discussions regarding transportation contracts with the Court of Accounts of Mato Grosso (TCE-MT).