Defense of councilor investigated for alleged vote buying in Teresina

According to lawyer Carlos Douglas, the defense intends to demonstrate during the process that the money would not be used to buy votes.

"During the instruction we will effectively demonstrate that there was not even a purchase or even an attempt to buy votes", he declared.

According to the defense, 16 people were charged with electoral corruption and released on Saturday night after paying bail. Valdemir and an employee from his office, identified as Renato Lucas Vieira da Silva, were also charged with criminal association.

According to the Federal Police, the investigation began after a complaint that money was being distributed to buy votes in a clinic belonging to the councilor's wife, in the Marquês neighborhood, in Teresina. The PF reported that they carried out surveillance at the location and observed an intense flow of people leaving the clinic with dark plastic bags.

During the action, two men who had just left the clinic on a motorcycle were approached. With them, the police found campaign material and R$12,000 in cash.

According to the testimony of one of the agents, the man who had the money stated that the amount would be used to pay people who had worked on an electoral campaign.

After the approach, the police entered the clinic, after authorization from an attendant. At the scene, they found people, paper envelopes with notes of names, telephone numbers and amounts of money, as well as a large number of saints from candidates Carlos Augusto (MDB), Júlio César (PSD) and Georgiano (PSD). g1 tries to contact the candidates' defense.

According to the PF, councilor Valdemir Virgino and Renato Lucas Vieira da Silva were in the room where the materials were found and, according to the police, coordinated the activities at the site. According to the report, Valdemir carried a backpack with bundles of money and envelopes with valuables.