In his Folha de S.Paulo column, journalist Elio Gaspari compares the current Banco Master investigation involving Daniel Vorcaro to the 1995 Pasta Rosa scandal, noting how documented evidence from the past resulted in no real consequences.
The Pasta Rosa, found in 1995 in the office of banker and former minister Ângelo Calmon de Sá, was an eight-centimeter-thick dossier recording illegal payments made by the federation of banks and Banco Econômico during elections. It listed around 50 politicians, including prominent figures like Roberto Campos and Antônio Carlos Magalhães, who received funds from Banco Econômico's payroll.
At first, the case sparked major attention, hinting at a potential purge of ties between politicians and the banking sector. Over time, however, the Pasta Rosa faded from headlines and became mere history. Investigations yielded no concrete outcomes; instead, the banker’s lawyers exploited flaws in court rulings and errors in news reports to defuse the matter.
Gaspari contrasts this with the ongoing Banco Master probe, where suspicions and indications point to a protection network around Daniel Vorcaro. Unlike the Pasta Rosa's documented certainties, the current case relies on preliminary evidence. The columnist warns that Vorcaro’s connections, which already involved spending hundreds of millions of reais on lawyers before he became a main target, may follow the same path of impunity.
This reflection, published on January 3, 2026, acts as a cautionary tale for present inquiries, underscoring how strong legal defenses often overcome incriminating proof.
