Senate Crime Inquiry Pushes 60-Day Extension as Court Lets Ibaneis Skip Testimony

Overview

• Ibaneis Rocha skipped the CPI hearing on Tuesday after a Supreme Court decision on Friday made his appearance optional.
• Relator Alessandro Vieira filed the extension request on Monday with support from 28 senators, but it needs approval from Senate President Davi Alcolumbre.
• Advisers to Alcolumbre say a renewal is unlikely this year, which reflects caution over running sensitive inquiries during an election cycle.
• CPI leaders say court rulings have hollowed out the probe by canceling data-access orders and freeing key witnesses, and the Senate’s legal office is appealing.
• The inquiry centers on alleged fraud tied to Banco Master and the Brasília state bank BRB, a deal the Central Bank blocked before liquidating Master and sending evidence to federal police.