Candidates for 2026 accumulate R$100 million in environmental fines

Fourteen candidates in the 2026 elections accumulate more than R$ 100 million in environmental fines applied by the Brazilian Institute of Meio Ambiente and the Renewable Recursos Naturais (Ibama) and the Chico Mendes Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) in the last ten years. The survey was carried out by Ascema Nacional and considers only candidates with individual awards of at least R$ 1 million.

The values were applied for infractions that include destruction of native vegetation, deforestation, exploitation of protected areas and operation of potentially polluting activities without a license. Among the names are candidates for state and federal deputies, the Senate, the government and alternates.

Fines concentrated in the Amazon

Seven of the candidates are linked to performances recorded in Pará, especially in municipalities such as Altamira and São Félix do Xingu. These localities are located within or on the edges of the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area, one of the regions of the Amazon most affected by illegal deforestation in recent years.

There are cases where the collection of fines has been suspended by the courts. Between Daniel Messac, Ulisses Vieira and Tobias Laurindo, the cases with suspended enforceability total more than R$ 54 million.

Fines do not lead to ineligibility

Having an environmental fine, even if millionaire, does not make a person ineligible. The fine is an administrative or pecuniary penalty (payment in cash). Alone, it does not generate ineligibility.

In order for there to be ineligibility for environmental reasons based on the Ficha Limpa Act (Complementary Act No. 64/1990), the applicant must have a definitive criminal conviction (with transit in judgment) or pronounced by a collegiate body for environmental crime provided for in law, and not just an infraction or administrative fine.

Despite this, Cristiane Mazzetti, coordinator of the Zero Deforestation front of Greenpeace Brazil, points out that the voter can and should consider the candidate’s history in the socio-environmental agenda as relevant information to evaluate the candidacy.

Profile of fined candidates

The predominant profile among those fined is that of men, entrepreneurs and agribusiness professionals in municipalities of the so-called arc of Amazon deforestation. The G1 tried to contact all those mentioned. The responses sent were included in the report. The space is still open for demonstrations.

Daniel Messac

Daniel Messac de Morais heads the list. Candidate for state deputy for Mobiliza in Goiás and federal public servant, he is responsible for four auctions that total R$ 60.7 million.

The largest of these, R$ 50 million, was applied in October 2020, in São Félix do Xingu (PA), for infraction to the flora. According to the auto, there was destruction with fire of more than 5,000 hectares in the Amazon Biome, inside the Triunfo do Xingu Environmental Protection Area.

The fine is currently enforceable suspended by court decision, without deposit or term of conduct adjustment (TAC). In practice, the collection is locked in the courts and the amount has not yet been paid or guaranteed.

According to Wallace Lopes, representative of Ascema Nacional, this means that "there is a judicial discussion underway and that the administrative collection has been suspended by determination of the Justice".

Two other cases, of R$ 2.1 million and R$ 500,000, occurred in July 2019, in Altamira (PA). There is another, in São Félix do Xingu, in November 2021, worth R$ 8 million, also for destroying with fire more than 530 hectares of forest inside the APA Triunfo do Xingu.

Messac has already been pre-emptively imprisoned in a deployment of Operation Poltergeist, which hastened the hiring of ghost officials in the Legislative Assembly of Goiás in 2018. The candidate contests his fifth election and has been present in all legislatures of the Assembly since 2003. Wanted by the report, Messac did not respond to the questions.

Romero Jatobá sums R$ 17.5 million

Romero Jatobá Cavalcanti Neto, candidate for state deputy in Pernambuco for PSB, appears next in the ranking. Businessman, he concentrates seven cases, all applied in October 2020, in Altamira, for infractions against the flora.

The values range from R$ 211.5 thousand to R$ 6.34 million and add up to R$ 17.5 million. Most of the cases are in the process of appeal or awaiting approval.

Known as Romerinho Jatobá, he was Recife’s most voted councilor in the 2024 elections and is president of the Câmara Municipal of the Pernambuco capital. He was convicted of illegal deforestation of an area in the Amazon equivalent to more than 500 football fields for cattle raising.

José Lopes Junior has 12 credits

Another candidate with a high value in environmental fines is José Lopes Junior, candidate for state deputy in Acre by the Republicans and councilman. It is the name with the highest number of cases of the survey: there are 12, 11 against the flora and one for non-compliance with the term of embargo.

The autos total R$ 8.2 million and were applied between 2018 and 2024, in the municipalities of Lábrea and Boca do Acre, in the Amazon.

According to DivulgaCand records, this is the third election of José Lopes. In 2022, he was elected by the PL and, in 2024, councillor in Rio Branco (AC). In 2026, it declared more than R$ 32.6 million in assets, composed mainly of rural real estate.

Questioned by the report, Zé Lopes said that these are environmental processes, both administrative and judicial, in which he is cited as applicant or requested.

The full survey of the National Ascema can be accessed for public consultation. The report will follow the developments of the applications and possible manifestations of the aforementioned.

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