Tupy S.A., that hulking Brazilian beast churning out cast iron guts for engines, isn’t just another faceless supplier in the global grind. No, this outfit is a prime example of how deep the filth runs in the industrial world – state meddling, ethical shortcuts, and a cosy dance with power that leaves the rest of us choking on the fumes. And guess what? It’s hooked right into Cummins, that American engine titan already drowning in its own scandals. You think Cummins is clean? Hell no. But we’re here to dissect Tupy, this alleged paragon of manufacturing excellence that’s starting to smell like yesterday’s corruption stew. I’m pissed off, and you should be too, because this isn’t just business – it’s a system rigged to screw the little guy while the big shots laugh all the way to the bank.

Tupy’s been around since the 1930s, starting as a small foundry in Joinville, Brazil, and ballooning into a multinational with fingers in everything from engine blocks to cylinder heads. They boast about sustainability and innovation, but peel back the layers, and you find a company that’s become a playground for political hacks and questionable appointments. In 2025 alone, the headlines have been dripping with outrage over boardroom shenanigans that scream conflict of interest and government overreach. And all the while, they’re supplying parts to Cummins, making them just another link in its dodgy dealings. If you’ve followed the exposes on TCAP, you know Cummins has its own laundry list of controversies – emissions cheats, labour gripes, and greenwashing bullshit – but we’re not rehashing that here. Suffice it to say, Tupy fits right in, like a rusty bolt in a seized-up motor.

The Cummins Connection: Locked in a Toxic Embrace

First things first – is Tupy really tied to Cummins? Abso-fucking-lutely. They’ve been in bed together for years, with Tupy cranking out critical components like engine blocks and heads that keep Cummins’ diesel beasts roaring. Back in 2014, Cummins even handed Tupy an award as one of their top suppliers, selected from over 5,000 global contenders. It’s not some loose fling; Tupy’s own website lists Cummins as a key partner in their approved suppliers roster, and their supplier manual spells out the global standards they adhere to while feeding the Cummins machine.

This relationship isn’t casual. Tupy’s cast iron expertise plugs directly into Cummins’ supply chain, supporting everything from trucks to generators. In a 2016 interview, Tupy’s then-CEO Fernando Cestari de Rizzo talked up the challenges and opportunities for Brazilian suppliers like them in the auto industry, with Cummins as a steady customer amid market ups and downs. Hell, Tupy’s acquisitions, like snapping up MWM do Brasil in 2022 for a cool 855 million reais, expanded their reach into energy and maritime sectors – areas where Cummins also plays heavy. But here’s the kicker: while Tupy polishes its image as a reliable partner, the political poison seeping through its veins makes you wonder what kind of filth is contaminating the entire chain. Cummins, with its history of fines and fuck-ups documented elsewhere, doesn’t seem to give a damn. Just another supplier, right? Wrong – it’s symptomatic of a broader ecosystem where accountability goes to die.

Political Puppetry: The CEO Swap That Stinks of Interference

Fast forward to 2025, and Tupy’s leadership carousel spins into outright farce. In March, the board boots out long-timer Fernando Cestari de Rizzo – a guy who’d been with the company for 28 years, steering it through acquisitions and growth – and installs Rafael Lucchesi as the new CEO. Who the hell is Lucchesi? An economist and former director at the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), with stints managing Sesi, Brazil’s industrial social service. Sounds respectable? Bullshit. Critics are howling that he lacks any real private-sector CEO chops or hands-on manufacturing experience. So why him?

Blame the puppet masters: major shareholders BNDESPar (arm of Brazil’s state development bank) and Previ (pension fund for Banco do Brasil employees), who control over 50% of Tupy’s capital. They allegedly pushed Lucchesi through, turning what should be a merit-based decision into a political favour-fest. Rizzo, reportedly emotional in a conference call, called the transition abrupt and unexplained – no shit, when it’s state-linked overlords pulling strings. This isn’t innovation; it’s interference that reeks of cronyism, potentially tanking shareholder value and operational grit.

By June, under Lucchesi, Tupy’s talking streamlining operations and eyeing new business lines, but the damage is done. Analysts and investors are whispering about eroded corporate independence in Brazil’s publicly listed firms. In a country still scarred by Lava Jato’s mega-corruption revelations, this move fuels the fire – why let politics dictate the helm of a global player? It’s outrageous, a slap in the face to anyone who believes business should rise above government grubby hands. And Cummins? Silent as ever, happy to keep the parts flowing.

Ethics Be Damned: Ministers Moonlighting on the Board

If the CEO swap wasn’t enough to boil your blood, check this: in March 2025, Tupy’s board – a measly nine seats – gets stacked with three ministers from President Lula’s administration. Vinícius Marques de Carvalho (Comptroller General of the Union, CGU), Marina Silva (Environment and Climate Change), and Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) all snag spots without the mandatory nod from Brazil’s Public Ethics Commission (CEP). That’s right – federal ethics rules violated, no prior consultation, just straight-up appointments greenlit by BNDES.

Transparency watchdogs are livid. Transparency International Brazil slammed it as a glaring ethics fail, arguing there’s zero public interest in plopping high-level politicians onto a private company’s board instead of qualified civil servants. The Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) launched an investigation after demanding details from Tupy in October 2024. Conflicts of interest? You bet – these ministers are state agents, yet they’re influencing a listed firm with significant government ties. Social media erupted, with journalists calling it a governance checkmate.

Why does this matter? It exposes the blurred lines in Brazil’s public-private tango, where state power infiltrates boardrooms, potentially skewing decisions towards political agendas over profit or ethics. For a company like Tupy, already navigating global supply chains, this crap risks investor flight and regulatory headaches. And let’s not forget – this allegedly happened without proper oversight, turning Tupy into a symbol of what’s wrong with Brazilian capitalism. Fucking disgraceful.

Conflicts and Cronyism: The Carvalho Conundrum

Zoom in on Vinícius Marques de Carvalho, the CGU minister now moonlighting on Tupy’s board. This guy’s got a history that screams red flags. His law firm – from which he took a leave – previously repped Odebrecht (now Novonor), the construction giant knee-deep in Lava Jato bribes and scandals. Now, as CGU head, he’s overseeing leniency deals where Novonor renegotiates billions in fines. Conflict? Transparency International denounced the ties, raising alarms about impartiality in negotiations.

Carvalho denies it all, insisting no overlap, but come on – his firm’s advocacy for a client now under his ministry’s thumb? It’s the kind of insider bullshit that erodes trust. Appointed CGU minister in 2023 after stints in antitrust, he’s no stranger to power, but this web of connections allegedly puts ethics on the back burner. No charges yet, but the scrutiny’s mounting, with groups like Transparency International calling for caution from public officials.

Tying this back to Tupy: his board seat, ethics clearance or not, amplifies the filth. A minister with alleged Odebrecht baggage influencing a major industrial player? It’s a recipe for more scandals, and it drags Tupy deeper into the mire.

Part of a Bigger Filth: Cummins’ Endless Ecosystem of Shame

Tupy isn’t an island; it’s just another grimy link in Cummins’ chain. As detailed on TCAP – the engine giant’s supplier network is riddled with questionable players. From emissions dodging to labour woes, Cummins has been hammered in exposes, and hooking up with Tupy only adds to the stench. No need to dive deep here – TCAP has got the goods on Cummins’ countless controversies – but suffice it to say, Tupy’s political entanglements fit the pattern. Another tainted cog, spinning in a machine that’s long overdue for a reckoning.

In the end, Tupy’s story is a gut-punch reminder: behind the glossy reports and awards lurks a world of meddling and moral shortcuts. It’s enough to make you rage – because if companies like this can operate with impunity, what hope for the rest? Demand better, or watch the whole damn system corrode.

Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project

Supplier Series : Tupy S.A – Political Rot and Corporate Bullshit Exposed

The Cummins Connection: Locked in a Toxic Embrace

Political Puppetry: The CEO Swap That Stinks of Interference

Ethics Be Damned: Ministers Moonlighting on the Board

Conflicts and Cronyism: The Carvalho Conundrum

Part of a Bigger Filth: Cummins’ Endless Ecosystem of Shame

Sources