October 23, 2021

10:10

Paula Litaiff – Cenarium Magazine*

MANAUS – The mayor of Manaus, David Almeida – known nationally by the scandal of the hole-punchers in the Amazon capital – has been seen, in the last two weeks, wearing a watch of the Swiss brand Hublot. The accessory costs, at least, € 20 thousand (euros), which in the conversion to real is R$ 132 thousand, according to the current exchange rate of R$ 6.60. For ten months in office, he receives a monthly salary of 18 thousand gross.

The staff on the subject was first raised by the Alex Braga Portal. The CENARIUM MAGAZINE report heard advisors and political allies of the mayor, who confirmed the daily use of the watch in visits to works and press conferences in Manaus. Sought, Almeida did not comment on the article.

The watch of the mayor of Manaus became an issue in the political environment of Amazonas because of the current economic moment in which the country lives, in the midst of an economic recession and the return of inflation, compromising, especially, the food security of Brazilians and creating the “black market of hunger”. In the Amazon state, chicken feet are now present on the tables of the people of Manaus.

A survey made by CENARIUM MAGAZINE, this Friday, 22, found, in the social networks, pictures of the mayor of Manaus using the watch and a thorough research identified that the Hublot King Power Foudroyante model, constantly used by him, is sold, in international specialized websites, for R$132 thousand reais.

The reporter tried to contact the mayor through the Municipal Department of Communication (Semcom), but did not get a reply, according to the questions described below:

CENARIUM MAGAZINE keeps the confidentiality of the source of the information provided about the accessory used by the mayor of Manaus, as provided in Section XIV of Article 5 of the Federal Constitution.

The Constitution ensures the right to inform, to be informed and to be informed, allowing free access to information and public and private data that are of popular relevance, safeguarding the secrecy of the source, when necessary for the professional exercise.

Embezzlement and fraud

David Almeida became known in the national media for the “cut-in-line scandal”, when the twins Gabrielle and Isabelle Kirk Maddy Lins – at the time, newly hired by the Manaus City Hall – took the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 in place of health employees who worked in the front line of the fight against Covid-19.

With this exposure, it came to light that “sponsored” politicians and suppliers of the Manaus City Hall, too, received immunization before the health professionals. The case led the Public Ministry of Amazonas (MP-AM) to request the arrest of David Almeida for the crimes of embezzlement and misrepresentation in February this year. To date, the request has not been judged by the Court of Amazonas (TJAM).

Read also: More than seven months, TJAM analyzes request for arrest of the mayor of Manaus for embezzlement

Feds investigate

The mayor’s administration, also, is the target of investigation of the Federal Police (PF) and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) for suspected manipulation in the delivery of apartments popular built with funds from the federal government, the Residencial Manauara 2, located in the north of the city.

Aimed at vulnerable families, the residential units ended up in the hands of relatives, by affinity, of the mayor of Manaus and David Almeida’s direct advisors. The matter became a news item on TV Cultura Brasil and, later, on Jornal Nacional. After the scandal, Almeida said he had exonerated those who “caused the problem”.

(*) With the collaboration of Luís Henrique Oliveira