Brazil’s Finance Minister Dario Durigan said Thursday (Sep. 24) that Antônio Carlos Freixo Júnior, known as “Mineiro,” the owner of Entre Investimentos, received money from organized crime. The company has a stake in the financing of Dark Horse, a film that chronicles the life of former President Jair Bolsonaro and which received funding from Banco Master, owned by Daniel Vorcaro.

Today’s operation, the third phase of Operation Carbono Oculto, was launched by São Paulo prosecutors and the Federal Revenue Service.

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“We’re talking about the management company of a business group – the Entre Group – which received money from both Baco Master and organized crime, all into the same pool. Everything indicates that the funds providing liquidity for these operations come from the same entity, from the same pool,” the minister stated in an interview in Brasília.

According to Durigan, the money received by Entre was used for money laundering and bribery.

“We’re talking about the same fund, where money from different sources ended up – whether from Master, organized crime, or individuals who have already entered into plea bargain agreements with the São Paulo Prosecution Service or the Federal Prosecution Service.”

Antônio Carlos Freixo Junior entered into a plea bargain agreement with the Prosecutor-General’s Office regarding the investigations into the Banco Master scandal.

A new species of feline, named Leopardus tilcayo, has been identified in the mountain forests of Bolivia, in a region known as Nor Yungas.

The discovery was made by researchers led by Eduardo Eizirik, a professor at the School of Health and Life Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS).

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The scientific description of a new feline species is the first in over a century. The study, published in the scientific journal Current Biology, was based on the genomic analysis of an animal known by the nickname “Tigrino.”

The male was found as a cub in 2016 by a resident of the Nor Yungas region in Bolivia. The specimen was later taken to the La Senda Verde animal sanctuary, where he has remained ever since.

Genomic results were published on September 17 and show that the animal did not belong to the species previously imagined (Leopardus tigrinus), but was part of an evolutionarily distinct lineage that had not yet been recognized by science.

“This study highlights just how much there is still to discover about the planet’s biodiversity. Even among charismatic and well-known animals such as felines, species can remain unknown for centuries. Discovering and understanding these species is vital so that we also know how to protect them,” Eizirik noted.

According to the university, the article Phylogenomics and Museomics Reveal Five Distinct Species of Tiger Cats in South America also provided new insights into the diversity of wildcats known as “tiger cats.”

The research found that the group, which until recently was considered a single species, is in fact composed of five distinct species.

This conclusion was reached thanks to the sequencing and analysis of complete genomes from 38 individuals from different regions of South America. Among the samples analyzed were eight historical specimens housed in museums in Europe and the US.

The wild cats analyzed, Eizirik said, can be classified as cryptic species – animals that look very similar but exhibit genetic differences and independent evolutionary trajectories.

“This visual similarity led to different species being confused and classified as a single species for a long time,” he says.

The research brought together scientists from PUCRS and partner institutions in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Belgium, Colombia, the US, and the UK.

In a statement, Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security has refuted allegations made by the US president that there are failures or omissions in the fight against transnational organized crime.

Donald Trump criticized the Brazilian government for, in his view, failing to confront Brazilian criminal organizations Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV). The statement appears in an annual report sent to the US Congress, dated Tuesday (Sep. 15).

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In it, the US leader lists countries considered significant in the trafficking or production of illicit drugs for fiscal year 2027, in addition to presenting individual assessments of various governments.

According to the Brazilian government, the position set forth in Trump’s document “would, if accepted in its entirety, disregard the federal government’s efforts to combat organized crime, such as the Anti-Gang Law, enacted in March 2026, which provides for harsher penalties for ring leaders and creates mechanisms to stifle their operations.”

Trump also stated that while many governments in the Western Hemisphere have adopted bold measures to reduce drug flows and eradicate cartels, the Brazilian government has failed to confront the foreign terrorist organizations known as Primeiro Comando da Capital and Comando Vermelho, which have turned Brazil into a hub for global cocaine flows.

These Brazilian terrorist organizations, Trump went on to argue, pose a growing threat to peace and security around the world, and the Brazilian government urgently needs to take aggressive measures to confront and defeat them before they spread and grow.

The Brazilian ministry further argues that the US president’s statement also fails to take into account “the tens of thousands of operations” carried out by federal forces to combat crime, “resulting in billions of reais in losses to criminals, as well as the numerous actions implemented in 2026 under the Brazil Against Organized Crime Program, launched last May, which economically strangles criminal factions, strengthens the prison system, improves homicide investigations, and combats arms trafficking.”

Cooperation

According to the Brazilian government’s statement, the US statement also disregards the “robust cooperation that already exists” between Brazil and the US in the fight against transnational organized crime.

Furthermore, “it is worth highlighting the proposal delivered in person by President Lula on May 7, 2026, in Washington, which details joint measures to combat money laundering, share intelligence, and combat arms trafficking. To date, Brazil is awaiting a possible response from the US government.”

Compliance

The statement from the Ministry of Justice notes that Brazil is not described in Trump’s document as a country that has “demonstrably failed” to comply with its international obligations to combat drugs based on US laws. This designation was applied to Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Furthermore, Brazil does not appear on the list of major transit or production countries for illicit drugs. Those countries are Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Brazilian indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire, known as Cacique (chief) Raoni, aged 94, has been diagnosed with cancer of the digestive tract and is receiving palliative care at home in Peixoto de Azevedo, in Mato Grosso state, where he is being cared for by his family and a medical team. The news was released Monday (Sep. 14) by the Raoni Institute on social media.

The statement notes that, throughout 2026, Raoni was hospitalized, underwent medical tests, and experienced a deterioration in his health. In June, he was transferred on an emergency basis to São Paulo after developing a severe intestinal obstruction caused by the tumor. He then underwent a procedure at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) hospital that created a new passage to allow food to pass through and improve his ability to eat and his overall comfort.

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Subsequent tests confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma. According to the Raoni Institute, given his age, clinical condition, and the risks associated with more aggressive treatments, the medical teams recommended palliative care.

Palliative care aims to manage pain and other symptoms, prevent complications, and improve quality of life. Care includes medical and nursing assistance, physical therapy, as well as support with nutrition and hydration.

“Care also involves the spiritual dimension. Raoni is a shaman and continues to receive the presence and care of shamans he trusts, as part of an intercultural approach that respects the Mẽbêngôkre culture, his language, his choices, and his spiritual beliefs,” the statement says.

Cacique Raoni is one of Brazil’s leading indigenous leaders and has been advocating for decades on behalf of indigenous peoples, their territories, and the rainforest. His work has gained international recognition for his efforts in defense of the Amazon and indigenous rights.

The Brazilian women’s volleyball team clinched its Olympic berth for Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics this Sunday (Sep. 13) by winning the South American Pre-Olympic Tournament in Rio de Janeiro without suffering a single loss.

They defeated Argentina 3–0 (26–24, 25–19, and 25–16) in the fifth and final match of the round-robin tournament.

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Without losing a single set, Brazil secured its 24th continental title and remains the tournament’s most successful squad. It is the sixth team to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The others are the US (as the host country), Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, and Canada.

“We have two years of peace of mind to work and develop this team, which has shown tremendous strength. And what we want most is the gold. We’ve come close a few times, but the team has shown its potential, and I’m sure we’ll make it to the top at the [2027] World Championship and the Olympics,” said wing spiker Gabi, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Having set a world record less than 20 days ago and remaining undefeated this season, Brazilian Alison dos Santos secured another victory in the 400m hurdles. This Sunday (Sep. 13), Alison, also known as Piu, was the fastest among the world’s best athletes competing in the first edition of the Ultimate World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

Piu crossed the finish line in 45.98 seconds, beating his main rivals, American Rai Benjamin (46.40) and Norwegian Karsten Warholm (46.78). Another Brazilian competitor, Matheus Lima, finished seventh (48.67).

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“I ran fast, had great results, and wanted to end the season on a high note. The atmosphere was great here in Budapest. I loved the energy from the fans; it was incredible… Now it’s time to celebrate!” said Piu, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024).

This was the first time this year that Piu competed against Rai Benjamin, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles – an event in which Piu bagged the bronze medal. Since the games, the American has been focusing more on the 400 m dash.

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will be held every two years, bringing together elite athletes – among them Olympic and world champions, Diamond League winners, and the top-ranked athletes.

Piu was named the “New King of the 400m Hurdles” by World Athletics after setting a new world record in the event (45.80s) on August 27. He also dominated the track at this year’s Troféu Brasil, breaking the competition’s meet record (46.48s).

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday (Sep. 9) called for a “complete lifting of the confidentiality in the investigations of all those involved in the [Banco] Master case.” Lula described the matter as “the biggest financial crime in Brazil’s history.” His remarks come amid a serious crisis among Supreme Court justices involving decisions related to the probes and former banker Daniel Vorcaro.

In a social media post, Lula called for the measure to be taken “urgently.”

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“The Brazilian people need explanations and immediate measures to address the institutional crisis that has taken hold of the judiciary,” he said.

The president called for transparency and criticized selective leaks that are impacting the election. He argued that the confidentiality of investigations must be fully lifted, “no matter who it is, no matter who it hurts.”

“Brazil needs to know the truth,” the post concludes saying.

Million-dollar fraud

The crisis at the Supreme Court came to light when Justice André Mendonça lifted the confidentiality of partial reports from Operation Compliance Zero – in which he serves as rapporteur – which targets corruption by public officials and billion-dollar financial fraud allegedly committed by Vorcaro.

The released material contains 52 messages that investigators say were sent by Vorcaro to Justice Alexandre de Moraes. In them, the former banker demonstrates close ties to the justice and appears to have forwarded to him a BRL 131 million contract between Master and the law firm of Viviane Barci de Moraes, the justice’s wife.

To date, Justice Moraes has denied any contact with the former banker. Following the release of the material, the justice made public an “intelligence report” from the Federal Police in which Mendonça suggests targeting political opponents in the handling of the Master case.