Minas Gerais Palace of Mangabeiras inventory dispute amid missing heritage items

The Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais (ALMG) received a detailed inventory of more than 3,900 items from the former governor’s residence, the Palácio das Mangabeiras. The list, presented by Luísa Barreto, director‑president of the state development company Codemge, shows the location of sofas, tables, chairs, artworks, books and other objects, many of which are on display, in storage or undergoing restoration.

A federal police investigation was opened after the ALMG’s Culture Commission reported that only five original pieces remain at the palace and that artworks, historic furniture, porcelain, kitchen equipment and a library of over 1,000 books appear to have disappeared. The investigation was referred to the Federal Police and the State Court of Accounts (TCE‑MG). Former governor Romeu Zema dismissed the losses as "old furniture," while current governor Mateus Simões said the artworks were transferred to the Palace of Liberty and the books to the public library. The case has become a political controversy amid accusations of mismanagement of public heritage.

The dispute also raises questions about the palace’s administration since 2019 under Codemge and its transformation into a publicly accessible site managed by a special‑purpose entity.