Brazil’s Mensalí£o Vote-Buying Scandal Was No Invention

There was indeed a vote buying scheme in the Brazilian Congress where the federal government paid members to support its legislative projects, according to the final finding of a congressional inquiry.

The scheme is known in Portuguese as the "mensalão" or "Big Monthly Allowance," that was paid to some members of Congress so they would vote with the government.

That was the final conclusion reached by deputy Osmar Serraglio (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, state of Paraná), the redactor (relator) of the final report of the Post Office Parliamentary Investigative Commission (CPMI)

"The CPMI clearly proved that there was a co-optive scheme of illicit political support," says the report.

Serraglio rebutted the defense used by those accused of being part of the co-optive scheme (especially former PT treasurer, Delúbio Soares), saying that there was no proof that money distributed by adman Marcos Valério was actually used in another illegal scheme to pay campaign debts.

Serraglio called the campaign debt explanation "An attempt to explain the unexplainable." He pointed out that no one has been able to present proof of debt payments (for example, receipts) made with Marcos Valério money.

ABr

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Won’t End Child Labor Before 2017

Brazil’s Ministry of Social Development and Hunger Alleviation intends to integrate, in 2006, the ...

Por aí

Sounds of Brazil The traditional and the experimental in Brazilian music are having a ...

Lula Can’t Start Brazil’s Economy

2003 was a lost year in Brazil as the country’s Finance Minister and Central ...

Brazilian 7-year-old Girl Will Be Carnaval Queen After All

After all the international furor the news stirred Brazilian 7-year-old Júlia Lira will be ...

Brazil Under Siege by Criminal Gang: 77 Killed, 61 Buses Set on Fire

Since late Friday night, May 12, the state of São Paulo, Brazil’s richest and ...

Brazil Travel Agents Press Ahead Beyond the Brazilian Air Chaos

Over 700 exhibitors are ready to display their novelties in the 35th edition of ...

Lula Vows Again to Keep Palocci as Brazil’s Finance Minister

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ratified his "full confidence" in Finance Minister ...

Brazil Appeals to WTO Against US Farm Subsidies

Brazil has decided to place an inquiry at the Dispute Settlement Body at the ...

Middle East’s Peace Shouldn’t Be Left to the US Alone, Says Lula

While attending a dinner promoted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce at the ...

From Landless to Farmer in Brazil

The government of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva remains committed to its ...