Secret Budget Scandal: Truck Driver Left Unpaid

Jaelson Brito, a truck driver from the rural interior of Bahia, finds himself caught in the crosshairs of a massive political scandal. He provided excavation services for a road project that was never completed, leaving him with a debt of R$28,000 in unpaid wages.

While Brito struggled to recover his earnings, the owners of the construction firm responsible for the project were arrested at the Salvador airport. They were caught carrying suitcases filled with live cash, a dramatic scene that highlights the scale of the corruption investigation currently gripping the region.

Operating out of Limoeiro, a district in Campo Formoso, Brito worked on the terraplanage of a local road. The project was financed with resources from the controversial orçamento secreto (secret budget). According to Brito, payments were consistent for the first two months but ceased shortly after.

"Pagaram o primeiro e o segundo mês. Depois, só nas medições. Fiquei com R$ 28 mil para receber,"

"They paid the first and second month. After that, only partial measurements. I was left with R$28,000 to receive."

The road remains unfinished, a physical monument to the financial mismanagement that has plagued public works in the region. For Brito, the financial hit was personal and immediate, affecting his livelihood and ability to support his family.

The investigation into the road project is linked to Operation Overclean, a sweeping probe by the Federal Police. The operation focuses on the diversion of parliamentary funds and has already identified a complex scheme involving R$1.4 billion over a four-year period.

In 2024, as Brito attempted to recover his money, the owners of the construction company were detained. The arrests occurred at the Salvador airport, where authorities discovered the executives carrying suitcases packed with cash. The operation targets the misuse of funds intended for public infrastructure in the Northeast.

• Investigation of parliamentary embezzlement schemes
• Identification of R$1.4 billion in diverted funds
• Arrests of construction company executives
• Seizure of cash at Salvador airport

The context for this local dispute is a national controversy regarding the orçamento secreto. Between 2020 and 2022, this system moved approximately R$38 billion without public oversight until the Supreme Court (STF) prohibited the practice.

Following the judicial veto, lawmakers expanded the use of committee amendments. In 2025 alone, these amendments totaled R$8.6 billion. Critics argue that these funds continue to face significant transparency issues, making it difficult to track exactly how money is spent on projects like the road in Campo Formoso.

Government agencies have issued statements regarding their compliance. The Codevasf stated that its budgetary resources are executed in strict observance of the law. Meanwhile, the DNOCS noted that 65% of its contract with the involved company, Allpha, has already been executed and paid, though they claim to be unaware of the Federal Police's evidence regarding overpricing.

The case of Jaelson Brito illustrates the human cost of large-scale financial mismanagement. While high-level executives face legal consequences and authorities trace the flow of billions, local workers are often the ones left holding the bag. The road in Campo Formoso stands as a testament to promises unfulfilled.

As the Operation Overclean investigation continues, more details regarding the flow of parliamentary funds are expected to emerge. For now, the focus remains on untangling the web of contracts and payments that led to an unfinished road and a truck driver's significant debt.