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WhyBrazil'sLulafacesfreshcorruptioninvestigationBBCNews

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WhyBrazil'sLulafacesfreshcorruptioninvestigation
4May2016 LatinAmerica&Caribbean

AFP

TheformerpresidentofBrazil,LuizInacioLuladaSilva,hasbeenaccusedofplayinga
keyroleinahugecorruptionscandalinvolvingstateoilcompanyPetrobras.
Brazil'sAttorneyGeneral,RodrigoJanot,hasaskedtheSupremeCourttoopenaninvestigation
intoLula'sallegedinvolvementinthemultibilliondollarscandalthathasalreadyseendozensof
lawmakersarrested.
Herewelookattheaccusationsinmoredetailandhowtheoncepopularexleadercametobe
linkedtotheallegations.

WhatisLulaaccusedof?

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AFP

Atthisstage,fewdetailsoftheaccusationsagainstLulaareknownasneithertheAttorney
General'sofficenortheSupremeCourthavemadethempublic.
WhatiscertainistheyareconnectedtoOperationCarWash,aninvestigationintoamultibillion
dollarkickbackschemeatstateoilcompanyPetrobras.
Investigatorssaythatstartingin2003,constructioncompaniesformedacarteltoovercharge
Petrobrasforbuildingcontracts.
TheywouldthenpaypartoftheirwindfalltoPetrobrasexecutivesandpoliticianswhowereinon
thedeal.
ProsecutorsallegethattheWorkers'Party,ofwhichbothLulaandcurrentPresidentDilma
Rousseffaremembers,partlyfinanceditscampaignsandexpensesthroughthesekickbacks.
SaoPaulonewspaperFolhaquotedAttorneyGeneralJanotassayingthatthekickback
scheme"couldneverhavefunctionedforsomanyyearsandinsuchabroadandaggressive
formunderthefederalgovernmentwithouttheparticipationofexpresidentLuizInacioLulada
Silva".
Lula,whogovernedfrom2003to2011,hasdeniedtheallegations.

Whatistheevidence?

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REUTERS

Atthisstage,wedonotknowwhattheevidenceagainstLulais.Localmediahavereportedthat
theAttorneyGeneralhassentseveralfoldersofdocumentstotheSupremeCourt.
NorisitknownwhattheexactchargesagainstLulacouldbe.NewspaperEstadodeSao
PauloreportsthatMrJanotwouldchargeLulawithobstructionofjustice.
ThenewspapersaysthattheformerleaderissuspectedofhamperingOperationCarWash,the
investigationintocorruptionatPetrobras.
Accordingtothedaily,theAttorneyGeneralwillcitePresidentRousseff'snominationofLulaas
herchiefofstaffasevidencethatLulaandMsRoussefftriedtoobstructjustice.
UnderBrazilianlaw,membersofthecabinetcanonlybeinvestigatedbythecountry'shighest
court.
LulawassworninaschiefofstaffinMarch,butajudgesuspendedthenominationwithinan
hour,arguingthatitwasamovetoshieldLulafrompossibleprosecutionbythefederaljudge
investigatingthePetrobrasscandal.
Thecountry'sSupremeCourthasyettoruleonwhetherLulawillbeabletotakeuphispostor
not.

Whydidthiscomeupnow?

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AP

TheAttorneyGeneral'smoveisbasedontestimonygivenbySenatorDelcidiodoAmaralas
partofapleabargain,accordingtoBrazilianmedia.
MrAmaralofthegoverningWorkers'PartywasarrestedinNovemberonchargesofobstructing
justice,thefirstsittingsenatortobearrestedinBrazilianhistory.
HeisaccusedoftryingtohelpformerPetrobrasexecutiveNestorCerverofleethecountry.
CerverowasjailedforbeingthemastermindofthePetrobrascorruptionscandal.
MrAmaralhasbeencollaboratingwiththeauthorities.
HistestimonyalsopromptedtheAttorneyGeneraltorequestthelaunchofaninvestigation
intoformerpresidentialcandidateAecioNeves.
MrNeveslosttoMsRousseffinthe2014presidentialrace.

WasLulanotquestionedbefore?

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REUTERS

Yes,policetooktheexpresidentforquestioningon4March.
TheofficersescortingLulatothepolicestationwereactingunderajudge'sordercalleda
"conducaocoercitiva"(benchwarrant)whichmeansthatapersoniscommandedtoappear
beforeauthoritiestogivetestimony.
PolicealsosearchedhishouseinSaoBernardo,theofficesoftheLulaInstituteanon
governmentalorganisationfoundedbytheexleaderandthehomesofsomeofhisfamily
membersandassociates.
Intotal,200policeofficersenforced33searchand11arrestwarrantsatlocationsinthree
Brazilianstates.

Whatwashequestionedabouton4March?

REUTERS

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WhiletheallegationswererelatedtothePetrobraskickbacksscheme,theyfocussed
specificallyontwopropertiesallegedlyownedbyLula'sfamily.
ProsecutorsallegedthatLulahadreceived"illicitbenefits",suchashavingoneofthe
constructionfirmsinvolvedinthePetrobrasscandalrenovatealuxurybeachfrontapartmentand
aranchforhisfamily.
Theysaidthat"thesuspicionisthattheimprovementsandthepropertiesarebribesderived
fromtheillegalgainsmadebyOAS[constructionfirm]inthePetrobrasgraftscheme".
Investigatorssaidtheyalsohadevidencethatin2014theexpresidentreceivedatleast
$270,000(190,000)worthoffurnitureandimprovementsforthebeachfrontapartmentin
Guaruja.
TheysaidtheywerealsolookingintosumspaidtoLulabyconstructionfirmsinvolvedinthe
scandalasdonationsorspeakingfees.
Luladeniedanywrongdoing.

Whataretheimplicationsforthegovernment?

AP

LulawasthepoliticalmentorofcurrentPresidentDilmaRousseffandremainsclosetoMs
Rousseff,whonominatedhimasherchiefofstaffinMarch.
MsRousseffiscurrentlyfacingimpeachmentproceedingsoverallegationsshemanipulated
governmentaccountspriortoherreelectionin2014.
Butupuntilnow,shehasnotbeenlinkedtothePetrobrascorruptionscandal,eventhough
someofhercriticshavequestionedhowshecouldnothavebeenawareofsuchawideranging
kickbackschemewhilesheheldaseniorpositionattheoilgiant.
MsRousseffchairedthePetrobrasboardofdirectorsfrom2003to2010.
IfherclosefriendandmentorLulaweretobecharged,pressureonthepresidentwould
increasemassivelyatanalreadydifficulttimeinherpoliticalcareer,
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