São Paulo’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked Civil Police to open an inquiry into possible crimes against public administration connected to contracts for the Virada Esportiva, a municipal sports event whose agreements totaled R$21.2 million.¹ The request follows a representation by Vice Mayor Ricardo Mello Araújo, turning a public dispute inside city hall into a formal review.

Araújo’s case rests on inspections he says raised doubts about both the delivery of activities and the organisations hired. He said he visited six locations expected to host the event and found neither the activities nor the infrastructure required to hold them. He also said 12 of 15 partner organisations he checked were not operating at the addresses supplied to the city administration.² In announcing the complaint, Araújo called it a “very serious allegation involving the diversion of more than R$20 million,” adding that his priority in politics was “to make a difference.”²

Nunes has not dismissed the need for scrutiny, saying, “We will investigate everything.” But he contests the vice mayor’s interpretation and says all city-contracted activities are monitored, with photographic reports available to demonstrate that services were carried out. He also questioned whether Araújo’s team had inspected the addresses of activities actually paid for by the municipality.¹

The mayor’s criticism is therefore about process as much as substance: he said Araújo should have verified the claims internally before taking them to social media and urged greater caution in assessing whether a complaint has merit.² Araújo, meanwhile, has said his findings are indications requiring investigation rather than definitive accusations against any person or organisation.¹

The prosecutor’s office has directed the Sports and Leisure Secretariat to provide contracts, payments, expenses, accounts and financial records within 10 days. The event’s 19th edition was advertised as offering about 4,000 activities across 800 locations.¹ A social-media supporter of Araújo framed the dispute more sharply, urging him to continue trying to “moralize city hall.”Rodrigo Constantino (Rconstantino)³