Ambassador Fábio Franco, who had to return from Guinea-Bissau after accusations pointed out his wife’s racism and interference in the activities of the Brazilian diplomatic representation in that country, was quoted as taking over the directorship of a department at Itamaraty.
After the case came to light, the ambassador’s future is uncertain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the folder, they say that their new post has yet to be defined.
According to the Executive’s structure of positions of trust, the function for which Franco was considered has a commission of R$13,000. According to the Transparency Portal, Franco’s last available remuneration was, with deductions, US$5,870 (R$31,811.29), in August.
A second-class minister, he was still considered to be Brazil’s ambassador to Hanoi, Vietnam, before the scandal broke out. Second diplomats reported to sheet privately, once the Itamaraty learned of the case, Franco’s name began to be aired to take over the division dealing with the Middle East, in Brasília.
Ambassador Sidney Leon Romeiro, now heading the department, would be reassigned to another commission position in the portfolio. Itamaraty was contacted on Friday (12) for comment, but did not respond.
Franco returned to Brazil two years ahead of schedule. It was the first time he had taken a post as an ambassador. He entered the diplomatic career in 1992 and was approved for the post in Guinea-Bissau in November 2018.
The case involving his wife, Shirley Carvalhêdo Franco, who is a licensed professor at UnB (University of Brasília) and has no formal link with Itamaraty, was the subject of an investigation by the Itamaraty internal affairs department.
On Friday, the sheet published a report on the case. According to reports collected by the report, Franco’s wife interfered in the embassy’s routine, even occupying a room there. Respondents stated that she practiced bullying and uttered racist offenses against Guineans who work for the diplomatic mission.
At the Ministry, the investigation resulted in the signing, on November 8, of a TAC (conduct adjustment term) in which the diplomat declared “to recognize the inadequacy of his conduct” and undertook to comply with the duties and prohibitions provided for by law for civil servants. .
Franco signed the term for non-compliance with article 117, item 6, of law 8112/90, which prohibits the public agent from transferring “a person outside the office […] the performance of the assignment that is your responsibility or that of your subordinate”.
As the TAC is an administrative procedure applied to irregularities of “lower offensive potential”, it would not be an obstacle to an eventual appointment of the diplomat to a new position of trust in the structure of Itamaraty.
To the report of sheet one server said that, in August, the ambassador had prevented her husband from seeking replacements for two minister posts —a position just below the ambassador’s position—, after the incumbents asked to be removed, and two other higher-level ministers that remained vacant. Shirley is said to have said that she herself would advise Franco and moralize the body.
Seven people, Brazilian and local, from different hierarchical levels and different ties with the representation were interviewed. They spoke on condition of anonymity, as they fear retaliation.
A sheet sent emails to Franco and Shirley asking for answers to the accusations, and Itamaraty claimed to have sent the contact for the report to the ambassador. Until the publication of this report, they had not answered the questions.
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