On the edge of Rio’s most guarded beach and just a few meters from the intense hustle and bustle of Copacabana, the properties associated with the ousted president of Alerj, Rodrigo Bacellar (União), reveal a discretion that contrasts with the scale of the political crisis facing the parliamentarian. The addresses, located in the southern zone of the city, entered the radar of the Federal Police in the second phase of the investigation into whether Bacellar disclosed information about an operation to former deputy Tiego Raimundo dos Santos Silva, known as TH Jóias, currently incarcerated in a federal penitentiary. Targets of searches and seizures this Tuesday, the three addresses are located in luxury buildings and apart-hotels. According to employees, the properties are used by Bacellar to hold private meetings and store personal items and documents. The spaces would also be used by his close relatives and friends.
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The Sayonara building, on Avenida Atlântica, facing Praia do Leme, is one of the most emblematic examples. With 12 floors, the building stands out on the seafront not for its splendor, but for its rigorous security system. Cameras scattered everywhere, windows with tinted glass and permanent surveillance by private security agents make up the decor. There is no traditional doorman: access control is managed directly by the security team. The neighbors, very discreet, avoid commenting on the comings and goings on the property.
According to authorities, Bacellar had only been seen there once, a few months ago. However, people identified as close to the MP regularly frequent the building. The building is home to Rio’s elite lawyers and businessmen and its exterior traffic is minimal, reinforcing the address’s reserved profile. The PF even had difficulty entering the apartment which had an armored door.
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Another property associated with the parliamentarian is on Rua Aires Saldanha, in Copacabana, near Posto 5. It is an old residential building currently under construction. Officials say they are not authorized to provide information on the parliamentarian’s instruction, but confirm that the MP does not usually appear there. The address is, however, recognized as linked to Bacellar due to the constant presence of his relatives who enter and leave the premises discreetly.
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In the area of Rua Princesa Isabel, the Real Residencial Hotel, an aparthotel with a large daily flow of guests and visitors, is also on the list of places associated with the MP. According to employees, Bacellar rarely uses this space. The address, according to those interlocutors, is generally occupied by relatives or close friends, which gives the place a more functional than residential profile.
According to employees, he usually uses the premises to hold private meetings, store valuables and documents for personal use. Access to the addresses of the ousted president is extremely restricted. Still according to sources, only a few people from Alerj knew the places and were able to visit them.
The mapping of these locations by the PF comes at a time of strong public retraction in Bacellar. Since he was arrested and removed from the presidency of Alerj by decision of the STF, the MP has stopped circulating frequently in spaces linked to his name. This absence reinforces the strategy of withdrawal adopted while the case progresses through the legal system.
Behind the scenes of the Assembly, Bacellar’s fall opened a silent struggle for space and influence. The Chamber is now temporarily led by the first vice-president, Guilherme Delaroli (PL), who in recent days initiated a reformulation at the highest level and abandoned the strictly protocolary speech. The replacement of personnel linked to the former president and the administrative reorganization are seen as signs that the interim command could expand beyond what was planned.
Meanwhile, in plenary, silence reigns. Deputies avoid directly mentioning Bacellar’s name or commenting on developments in the case. The emphasis remains formally on the pending votes before the holidays, but, in the corridors, the political future of the dismissed parliamentarian is treated as an unknown factor.
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