Eugênio Milton Bittencourt, the former mayor of Nova Laranjeiras, and Rodison José Savoldi, the former secretary of agriculture, were recently convicted by the Court of Justice of Paraná for embezzling 81,500 liters of diesel fuel. The fuel was purchased under the pretext of supporting local rural associations as part of a program aimed at promoting family agriculture. The court ordered both men to reimburse the municipality for the stolen goods, although they still retain the right to appeal the decision.

Bittencourt served as mayor from 2009 to 2012, while Savoldi held the agriculture secretary position from 2010 to 2011. Although initial investigations had implicated five other individuals, they were ultimately acquitted. The judicial findings suggested that during the 2011-2012 period, the municipality reported purchases of over 100,000 liters of diesel intended for agricultural support, particularly to assist small farmers with tractor transportation and to lower their operational costs.

However, it was revealed that of the reported purchases, only approximately 23,000 liters of diesel were actually allocated to the intended associations, casting significant doubt on the integrity of the program. This case highlights the issues of corruption and mismanagement within local government structures in Brazil, particularly affecting the agricultural sector that relies heavily on such support for sustainable development.