Brazil investigators softened the tone of their probe into the sale of tainted meat after days of growing criticism from the government, companies and even from the police itself.
The federal police and the Agriculture Ministry said in a joint-statement on Tuesday that the so-called Weak Flesh probe focuses on alleged corruption among specific public agents, and that wrongdoings “don’t represent a widespread malfunctioning of Brazil’s inspection system.”
That’s quite a shift from March 17, when police launched what local media hailed as the largest ever operation in its history, with over 300 court orders being served. At a press conference that day, Police chief Mauricio Moscardi said he now thinks “long and hard before buying meat” as problems were found with all 40 companies analysed. 
Judge Marcos Josegrei da Silva, who’s overseeing the case, had even harsher words. He cited recorded telephone conversations that he said showed “systematic corruption” involving “unscrupulous businessmen” and a “frighteningly large number” of federal meat inspectors.
The allegations made by investigators – agricultural inspectors bribed with prime cuts of beef, sausages and cold cuts that were adulterated with ingredients including pig heads and cardboard – quickly became the sole topic of conversation across Brazil, taking over social media and news coverage. Even the three-year anniversary of the Carwash investigation, which has created havoc among Brazil’s political class and jailed top executives at some of the country’s largest builders, was sidelined for memes showing meat skewers with pieces of cardboard in lieu of steaks.
Food giants JBS SA and BRF SA, which saw stocks and bonds plunge after being cited by police in the probe, launched a massive ad campaign with full page ads in the biggest newspapers and prime-time television spots assuring consumers their product is safe to eat. President Michel Temer called an emergency meeting on March 19 with ambassadors of the main importer countries. He then took them to an all-you-can-eat steakhouse.
Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, who cancelled planned leave after the investigation was announced, said on March 19 the problem wasn’t widespread and questioned the fact that the ministry hadn’t been informed of the probe. Allegations that cardboard was mixed into the meat derived from a misunderstanding of the recordings, according to Maggi – a statement echoed by BRF.
Police said executives at companies including BRF were given passwords to access the ministry’s internal system, and that the firms had the power to get inspectors who didn’t cooperate reassigned. Police didn’t immediately specify which companies had committed the infractions listed, but said it had only released a part of the evidence it had, and that there was more to come.


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