| Benedito Lyra | |
| Office: | Mayor of Barra de São Miguel |
| Term Start: | January 1, 2021 |
| 1Blankname: | Vice Mayor |
| 1Namedata: | Floriano Melo |
| Predecessor: | José Medeiros Nicolau |
| Office1: | Senator for Alagoas |
| Term Start1: | February 1, 2011 |
| Term End1: | February 1, 2019 |
| Predecessor1: | João Tenório |
| Successor1: | Rodrigo Cunha |
| Office2: | Member of the Chamber of Deputies |
| Term Start2: | February 1, 2003 |
| Term End2: | February 1, 2011 |
| Constituency2: | Alagoas |
| Term Start3: | February 1, 1995 |
| Term End3: | February 1, 1999 |
| Constituency3: | Alagoas |
| Office4: | Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alagoas |
| Term Start4: | January 1, 1983 |
| Term End4: | January 1, 1995 |
| Constituency4: | At-large |
| Office5: | Member of the Municipal Chamber of Maceió |
| Term Start5: | January 1, 1967 |
| Term End5: | January 1, 1983 |
| Constituency5: | At-large |
| Birth Date: | 1 May 1941 |
| Birth Place: | Junqueiro, Alagoas, Brazil |
| Party: | PP (2003–present) |
| Alma Mater: | Federal University of Alagoas (LL.B.) |
| Profession: | Lawyer |
Benedito Lyra (born May 1, 1941) is a Brazilian politician from Alagoas, member of Progressistas (PP), former Senator for his state and incumbent Mayor of Barra de São Miguel.[1]
Lira is Bachelor of Laws by the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). He began his political career as City Councillor in his hometown between 1966 and 1970, and later as City Councillor of Maceió for two consecutive terms, between 1973 and 1982. He was State Deputy from 1983 to 1994.
In 2002, Lira was elected Federal Deputy for the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB), and re-elected in 2006 for the Progressive Party (PP).
In 2010, he was elected Senator with 904,345 votes, representing 35.94% of the valid votes.[2]
In December 2016, he voted in favor of the Constitutional Amendment to limit public expenses (PEC 241).[3] In July 2017, voted to approve the new Labour Reform.[4]
In October 2017, voted to maintain Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB-MG) in office, suspending the effects of the decision of the First Group of the Supreme Federal Court, in an investigation which he is accused of corruption and obstruction of justice after asking for R$ 2 million (US$ in 2017) to businessman Joesley Batista.[5] [6]
Benedito de Lira was one of the involved in the scandal of overpriced ambulances, also known as "leeches".[7]
See main article: Operation Car Wash. Benedito de Lira, and his son Arthur Lira, are investigated by the Federal Police in the scheme of corruption in the state oil company Petrobras. The Police found evidences of passive corruption after the conclusion of iopen inquiries to investigate the participation of Benedito and Arthur Lira. According to the report, Arthur and Benedito "benefited with the receivement of undue periodic amounts, from the payment of bribes by companies which had contracts with Petrobras, due to the control of the Progressive Party of the Directory of Supplies, office held by Paulo Roberto Costa, in exchange for votes in projects of interest of the federal government".[8]
In February 2016, Lira had his goods blocked by the Supreme Federal Court, in a decision ruled by Justice Teori Zavascki, in a total of R$1.6 million (US$) The request for the blocking was made by the Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot, who was responsible for the investigation against federal parliamentaries in the operation.[9]