STF Extends Macapá Vice Mayor’s Suspension Indefinitely in Health-Contract Probe

Overview

• Mário Neto’s removal, ordered Saturday by STF minister Flávio Dino in a solo ruling, now has no end date and includes a ban on entering city offices or using municipal systems, with possible preventive arrest for any breach.
• The decision followed requests from the Federal Police and the Prosecutor-General’s Office, which said Neto’s return could compromise active inquiries into suspected fraud and diversion of public health funds.
• Investigators cited fresh signs of obstruction, including about R$3.3 million in atypical payments after the leadership’s ouster, removal of hard drives, outages in city systems, mass dismissals, and blocked access to records.
• The order also keeps Health Secretary Érica Aymoré and bidding commission head Walmiglisson Ribeiro suspended under the same access restrictions.
• Operation Paroxismo centers on contracts tied to the planned Municipal General Hospital of Macapá, a project of about R$70 million, and probes whether contracts and 2020–2024 parliamentary amendments were diverted for illicit gain, after initial 60-day suspensions in March that preceded Mayor Antônio Furlan’s resignation and an interim administration.