MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Apologizes to the Brazilian people, and pledges to return US$ 280 million from a major construction contractor

“Apology and Manifest for a Better Brazil”

Andrade Gutierrez, the second largest public works contractor in Brazil is to make public an “apology to the Brazilian people” for the illegal actions in the public construction contracts investigated by the Brazilian Federal Police's Lava Jato operation, reports Folha de Sao Paulo.

 The title of the text is “Apology and Manifest for a Better Brazil,” and will be published in several newspapers. Andrade Gutierrez says that it will make up for the damage and present eight “proposals for a better Brazil,” referring to bidding processes and contracts for public construction.

On Thursday, May 5, federal Judge Sergio Moro, who is in charge of the Lava Jato operation in the city of Curitiba, ratified the leniency agreement with Andrade Gutierrez, a collaboration bargain for companies aiming to mitigate punishment, such as forbidding them from signing contracts with the government.

Andrade Gutierrez has promised to return one billion Reais (approximately US$ 280 million) as compensation, the highest amount in the Lava Jato operation so far.

“We recognize the severe wrongdoings we carried out in recent years and, instead of denying them, we are assuming them publicly [...] It is necessary to learn with our mistakes and especially to take firm action so that they do not occur again,” says the text.

Andrade Gutierrez also says that, since December 2013, it has been carrying out a “modern compliance model, based on a strict Ethics and Demeanor Code.”

“We believe the Lava Jato operation will serve as a catalyst for forceful cultural changes which will transform the way business is done in Brazil. With this manifest, we hope that we are contributing to a major debate across Brazil on the construction of a better country, helping to eliminate some of its worst defects, such as the wasting of public money and impunity,” says the Andrade Gutierrez text, reports Folha de Sao Paulo.