Monica Veloso, a beautiful journalist and former anchor for Globo TV in Brazilian capital BrasÀlia, at the heart of one of the latest Brazilian Congress scandals has hit the cover of the Brazil edition of Playboy and became an instant sales success.
Veloso is pictured in a full colors photo session of the magazine with nothing on but her half tiny bikini and in a long interview explains her relation with former lover and powerful Senate president Renan Calheiros. She was clicked by J.R. Duran.
The Senator and close ally of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva allegedly paid for the pension of their daughter through a public works government contractor. He faces corruption charges although under strong lobbying from the Lula administration has so far managed to overcome the first challenges.
Senator Calheiros is charged with receiving money from private construction companies benefited with government contracts and bids, although according to Monica her lover never revealed to her the origin of the money to pay for the upkeep of their child.
"Renan never said the money was his," said Monica who underlines that payments were always done through a public relations official from the Mendes Junior construction company, Claudio Gontijo, who happens to be a very close friend of the 51 year old Senator.
Calheiros is a leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, PMDB, the coalition partner in Congress and cabinet of Lula's Workers Party. As president of the Senate he holds a vital post since under Brazilian rules he decides on the legislature's agenda.
"I simply received the pension and it didn't make sense to ask where the money came from. It seems important now because of all the noise, but not for me. I took the money, cash, on time and that's it", said Monica.
However the 38 year old journalist assures Calheiros never told her the money he gave her for their child came from his personal savings as the legislator declared before the full Upper House.
The journalist told reporters that she hesitated before accepting Playboy's invitation.
"At first I refused and dismissed the whole thing. But then I started to get interested after considering that actresses like í‚ngela Vieira, Maitê Proença and Alessandra Negrini posed for the magazine and have not lost their prestige. The pictures came out pretty, of quality. I loved the results"
"The decision to accept the invitation was taken together with my family, we discussed the subject with respect and candor. The pictures were taken in Rio de Janeiro in August. It was very cold and I had to take lots of coffee, which by the way I love, to warm up," she revealed.
 Mercopress, BzzÂ
