Brazil prosecutor seeks arrest of senior members of embattled president's party
Brazil prosecutor seeks arrest of senior members of embattled president's party
Senate chief and former president among those who could be arrested in connection with Lava Jato investigation into corruption at Petrobas
Jonathan Watts in Rio de Janeiro
Tuesday 7 June 2016 11.07 EDT
Brazil’s embattled interim president, Michel Temer, has suffered a fresh blow after the prosecutor general requested the arrest of four of the most powerful members of his party for trying to obstruct the Lava Jato (Car Wash) investigation into corruption at the state oil company Petrobras.
Following two ministerial resignations, Temer’s centre-right administration – which took power less than a month ago – now looks more vulnerable to the graft investigation than that of his predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, who is in the midst of an impeachment trial in the senate on unrelated charges.
Arguably the most influential of those targeted is Eduardo Cunha, who has already been suspended as speaker of congress for interfering with the investigation. He is accused of receiving millions of dollars worth of kickbacks from overinflated contracts and stashing the cash in secret Swiss bank accounts.
Cunha – a leading member of the evangelical caucus in the lower house – was the architect of Rousseff’s impeachment, which he initiated after her Workers’ party refused to protect him from related charges in the ethics committee of the lower house.
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/07/brazil-president-party-prosecutor-arrests
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141480230
[center]
Michel Temer [/center]