Brazil’s operation Car Wash moves on govt

SAO PAULO, April 12, 2017 – Supreme Court Judge Edson Fachin late on Tuesday ordered an investigation into dozens of Brazilian politicians on allegations of corruption.

The Supreme Court’s list includes eight of President Michel Temer’s cabinet ministers, more than 60 sitting congressmen, three state governors and four ex-presidents.

The allegations are a result of testimonies from 77 Odebrecht executives, who are said to have bribed politicians in return for legislative changes. The construction company, including former chief executive Marcelo Odebrecht, saw its plea bargain approved by the Supreme Court in January.

Investigators will now go after Temer’s chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, and the secretary-general of the presidency, Moreira Franco. Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes and Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi will also be investigated, as will leader of the lower house of Congress Rodrgio Maia.

Lower courts will investigate four of Brazil’s six presidents of the past 25 years, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Fernando Collor de Mello, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff.

Presidential hopefuls for 2018, senator Aécio Neves and former Foreign Minister Jose Serra, were also mentioned on the list.

The Car Wash probe into corrupt Odebrecht and Petrobras deals is now in its third year.

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