Three Brazilian opposition parties – PDT, PPS, PV – started gathering signatures yesterday from Deputies and Senators, petitioning the creation of a joint parliamentary investigation commission (CPMI).
The congressional inquiry would look into charges that the PT (Workers’ Party), President Lula’s party, paid monthly allowances, denominated “mensalões” (big monthlies), to Deputies from the PP and the PL parties.
The accusation that the PT is using these payments to buy Congressional votes in favor of the Administration’s projects was made on Monday, June 6, by the president of the PTB, Deputy Roberto Jefferson from Rio de Janeiro, in an interview with the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.
The vice-leader of the PPS, Raul Jungmann, informed that the creation of the CPMI already enjoys the support of lawmakers from the PT itself and the PL.
Jungmann said that the creation of this CPMI is of the utmost importance for the Legislative branch.
“The accusations now fall not only on the Executive but on the Legislature as well,” the Deputy remarked.
In his view, the chief role of the commission will be to determine who bought and who sold parliamentary mandates.
“This is essential to recover the respect and credibility that the Congress has lost,” he affirmed.
For a CPMI to be formed, the signatures of at least 171 Deputies and 27 Senators are required.
Agência Brasil
