Brazil Inquiry on Vote-Buying Finds Major Role for Ex-Chief of Staff Josí© Dirceu

Seven of the 61 pages comprising the preliminary, combined report submitted by Brazil’s joint parliamentary investigation commissions (CPMIs) into the Post Office and Vote Buying were devoted to an analysis of the alleged involvement of the ex-Chief of Staff, federal deputy José Dirceu, in the monthly payoff (“mensalão”) scheme.

The “mensalão” refers to the presumed monthly allowances paid to lawmakers from parties belonging to the Executive’s coalition base in the National Congress.


The reporters of the commissions, Osmar Serraglio (the Post Office) and Ibrahim Abi-Ackel (Vote Buying) underscored the accusations leveled against Dirceu by deputy Roberto Jefferson (PTB-RJ).


“Deputy José Dirceu, ex-Chief of Staff, was named by deputy Roberto Jefferson before this commission, as before the Ethics Council of the Chamber of Deputies and in interviews with the press, as the originator of the scheme known as the ‘mensalão,’ ” the report states.


The reporters transcribed Jefferson’s declarations that, as political coordinator and chief minister of Lula’s Administration, “deputy José Dirceu organized the scheme for making payments to deputies in exchange for votes in support of the government.”


In her testimony before the CPMI into the Post Office, Renilda Souza, wife of advertising executive, Marcos Valério de Souza, said that her husband participated in meetings with the then-minister José Dirceu, accompanied by directors of the Bank of Minas Gerais (BMG).


The reporters stressed the fact that she told the CPMI that Dirceu was aware of the loans taken by Marcos Valério to transfer money to the Workers’ Party (PT).


In the CPMI into Vote Buying, the ex-treasurer of the PTB, Emerson Palmieri, affirmed that the ex-minister was always consulted following meetings with leaders of the PT.


“Following all these conversations, there was always a call from Delúbio (Soares) or (José) Genoí­no to deputy José Dirceu, and, after this contact, the leaders of the PT guaranteed that everything was okay with respect to the transfer of funds,” the report says.


The declaration made by the ex-president of the PTB about lawmakers’ switching parties was considered a “serious accusation” by the reporters.


“There is cooptation of deputies. Various deputies entered my own party as well with nominations made by José Dirceu to form my party’s base,” Jefferson said.


In his defense, Dirceu affirms that the accusations made by Roberto Jefferson “are bereft of proof and seriousness, indicating a mere attempt to deviate the course of the investigations that should be conducted by this CPMI.”


He also contends that all that exists are “suppositions” regarding his knowledge of the loans allegedly received by the PT and co-signed by Marcos Valério.


Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil’s Biggest Party Backs Lula’s Hand-Picked Candidate for President

The biggest political party in Brazil, the PMDB (Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement),  ...

Minas, Brazil: Land of Martyrs and Churches

Tiradentes and Aleijadinho are two Brazilian heroes from the state of Minas Gerais. One ...

Brazil’s Puts Up US$ 1 Billion for Membership In Nuclear Fusion Club

Brazil seems determined to join the world's exclusive club of nuclear research and is ...

Social Activism Makes Brazil’s Petrobras Member of UN Committee

Petrobras, the first and only Latin American company that is a member of the ...

In Cosmetic Consumption Brazil Only Loses to US, Japan and France

With financial turnover of US$ 13.8 billion last year, Brazil jumped from the sixth ...

Natal, Brazil: Sand, Sun and Solitude or Hassle, Hustlers and Hookers

About 20 years ago I bought a Lonely Planet guide to Brazil and was ...

Dow, DuPont, Monsanto and Syngenta Take Over Brazil’s Corn

Recent news from media sources would have readers believe that Brazil is euphoric in ...

British Firm Invests US$ 36 Million to Produce Quality Meat in Brazil

Company Frigo Class Alimentos is going to open an industrial plant and cattle slaughter ...

Nigeria Joins Brazil Fight to Reform the UN

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in his speech during the banquet ...

WordPress database error: [Table './brazzil3_live/wp_wfHits' is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) repair failed]
SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `wp_wfHits`