Brazilian Ex-President Temer Arrested in Anti- Corruption Probe

Corruption is Everywhere

Definitely in Brazilian Politics

Brazil’s former president Michel Temer has been arrested as part of a sweeping anti-corruption probe, media reports say. Temer took the office in 2016 after the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff – also on allegations of corruption.

Temer was detained at his house in Sao Paulo on Thursday morning and then transferred to federal police headquarters in Rio de Janeiro by the police task force, Brazilian news portal Globo reports. 

An arrest warrant has also allegedly been issued against the former energy minister Moreira Franco as well as Eliseu Padilha, who served as a civil aeronautics minister under ex-president Rousseff and later worked as a minister of labor and the chief of staff of the presidency under Temer, according to Globo.

The arrest is related to charges over alleged graft involving the construction of the Angra 3 nuclear plant, Reuters reported, citing the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

Meanwhile, Brazilian media reports that the ex-president faces investigation on ten separate cases. At least some of inquiries into his affairs are part of the ongoing large-scale criminal investigation known as Operation Car Wash in Brazil.

Initially launched as a money laundering probe, it was expanded to cover allegations of corruption at the state-controlled oil company Petrobras. Former presidents Luiz Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff were also indicted under it.

The ex-president’s lawyer confirmed his arrest. Temer came to power following Rousseff’s impeachment back in 2018 and stayed in office until December 31, 2018.

Brazil’s former leader was accused of corruption during his presidency in 2017 but the charges were blocked by the lower house of the Brazilian parliament at that time. Temer himself repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Brazilian Court Upholds Conviction of Former President Lula da Silva

Corruption is Everywhere - Especially in Brazil

By Daniel Uria  

A Brazilian appeals court upheld a corruption conviction against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as he prepares to run in the country's upcoming presidential election. File Photo by Andrew Harrer/Pool/UPI | License Photo

UPI -- A Brazilian appeals court unanimously upheld a corruption conviction against former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday.

The three-judge panel's decision to uphold the conviction could prevent the 72-year-old da Silva's candidacy in Brazil's upcoming election. The country's "clean record law" bars politicians whose convictions are upheld on appeal from running for office.

"There is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the ex-president was one of the actors, if not the principal actor, of an ample corruption scheme," said Joao Pedro Gebran Neto, one of the judges.

The court ruled against jailing Lula da Silva as he fights the conviction, but increased his sentence from 9 years to 12 years in prison.

"At a minimum, he was conscious and gave support to what happened," Neto said.

Lula Da Silva was convicted of receiving more than $1 million in bribes, including a newly refurbished beachfront apartment, as part of a corruption scandal known as "Operation Car Wash."

The former president can appeal the conviction to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court and the Supreme Federal Court and apply to an electoral tribunal for a special exemption to run for president if the appeal process extends through the election.

He delivered a message of defiance while speaking at a rally of his supporters in Porto Alegre, home of the Fourth Regional Federal Court of Appeals, on Tuesday.

"Only one thing is going to remove me from the streets of this country and that will be the day that I die," Lula da Silva said. "Until then, I will be fighting for a fairer society."

His Workers' Party backed up Lula da Silva in a statement and called on his supporters to take to the streets.

"If they think this story ends with today's decision they're sorely mistaken," the party said. "We won't give up in the face of this injustice."

Former Brazil House Speaker gets 15 Years in Prison for Corruption

Playing a key role into the investigation of corruption involving Oil giant Petrobas, Cunha was unable to steer the investigation away from himself.

By Eric DuVall

Former Brazilian House Speaker Eduardo Cunha arrives to court in Curitiba, Brazil. Cunha was sentenced

to 15 years in prison for corruption involving state-run oil company Petrobas. The former politician

led the impeachment proceeding against former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. File photo by EPA

What goes around, comes around

UPI -- Eduardo Cunha, the Brazilian lawmaker who spearheaded the impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Thursday after his own corruption scandal.

Cunha, 58, was found guilty of accepting the hiding more than $1.5 million in bribes from Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobas. As the speaker of Brazil's House, Cunha had a key role in the sprawling investigation into bribes and kickbacks paid out by Petrobas to lawmakers from private companies seeking government contracts. The investigation, dubbed Operation Car Wash, ensnared Rousseff and several other lawmakers -- and eventually Cunha himself.

A judge said he took the money and laundered it in a Swiss bank account where he kept it hidden until investigators tracked it down. He was removed from the Brazilian Congress by an overwhelming vote of lawmakers last year after the Supreme Court approved a request by the attorney general to open an investigation into Cunha relating to Petrobas.

Cudos to Operation Car Wash for a great job. Now, are there any clean politicians in Brazil, or any 3rd world country?