Júnior Lourenço: The Congressman Caught in the “Family Ties” Corruption Scandal

Federal Deputy Júnior Lourenço, of Brazil’s Liberal Party (PL), exemplifies how local political actors with long records of mismanagement can ascend to Congress while dragging behind a trail of lawsuits. As of 2024, he faces ten active judicial proceedings, according to a report by Congresso em Foco.

10 Active Lawsuits

Official records show that Lourenço faces seven criminal cases in the Maranhão State Court (TJ-MA) and three in Brazil’s Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1):

In TJ-MA (7 cases):

• 3 for administrative misconduct

• 1 for misuse of public funds and illicit bidding practices

• 1 for withholding technical data from public prosecutors

• 1 for violating Brazil’s procurement laws

• 1 for damaging historic heritage sites
  

In TRF1 (3 cases):

• 1 for irregularities in managing Fundeb (education funding)

• 1 for misappropriating social security funds

• 1 for fraud in public tenders to benefit a construction company

These lawsuits stem from his time as mayor of Miranda do Norte (2009–2016), involving allegations of public fund misappropriation, inflated contracts, and systematic administrative failure.

Operation “Family Ties” and Criminal Indictment

In April 2024, Maranhão’s Special Action Group for the Fight Against Organized Crime (GAECO) launched Operation Laços de Família ("Family Ties"), executing 32 search and seizure warrants—including at Lourenço’s apartment in São Luís and Miranda do Norte’s City Hall.

Following this, the Public Prosecutor’s Office indicted Lourenço and 23 others for bidding fraud, embezzlement, and criminal conspiracy, demanding over BRL 22 million (USD ~4.5M) in damages to public coffers.

Questionable Eligibility and Legal Loopholes

In 2022, Brazil’s Electoral Prosecutor’s Office (MPE) attempted to bar Lourenço’s candidacy based on a conviction by the Federal Audit Court (TCU) related to budget irregularities from his mayoral tenure. Although this could have made him ineligible for eight years, the Federal Regional Court temporarily rejected the challenge—keeping him in office.

Poor Legislative Performance

Lourenço’s troubles go beyond the courts. He has also faced criticism for absenteeism and inactivity:

• In 2023, he was the federal deputy with the most unexcused absences, including claiming to be present while attending an event in Dubai.

• He did not sponsor any bills nor did he attend meetings of the Health Committee, of which he was an official member.Why This Matters

Lourenço’s case highlights:

1. The fragility of political accountability in Brazil, where politicians with criminal histories still secure electoral victories.

2. A persistent culture of impunity, where connections and party shields delay legal consequences.

3. The perpetuation of political privilege, allowing former local powerbrokers to expand influence without facing due responsibility.

Conclusion

Júnior Lourenço is a classic example of a local political boss scaling up to federal power without shedding his checkered past. With ten lawsuits and a recent multimillion-dollar corruption indictment, his career raises serious concerns about the enforcement of anti-corruption laws in Brazil’s democratic institutions.

📚 Sources

• Congresso em Foco – “Conheça os dois deputados federais campeões em processo na Justiça”

• Public Prosecutor’s Office of Maranhão – Operation Laços de Família

• Poder360, Estadão – Overview of lawsuits in TRF1

• G7 Maranhão – Report on electoral ineligibility

• Maranhão de Verdade – Attendance records and legislative inactivity