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Brazilian police question ex-president in corruption probe Police question Brazil’s ex-president in corruption probe
(about 3 hours later)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police pulled former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in for questioning and searched properties connected to the leader and his family on Friday, drawing the country’s most towering political figure closer to the sprawling corruption case centered on the oil giant Petrobras. RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian police hauled former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from his home and questioned him for about four hours Friday in a sprawling corruption case involving state-run oil company Petrobras that has already ensnared some of the country’s most-powerful lawmakers and businessmen.
Police turned up early Friday at addresses belonging to Silva, including his residence near Sao Paulo and the Instituto Lula, his nonprofit organization. The once-immensely popular president, who governed from 2003 to 2010 and remains a towering figure in Brazil, angrily denounced the morning raid as part of a campaign to sully his image, that of his party and that of his hand-picked successor, President Dilma Rousseff.
Acting on a summons, police took Silva to the federal police station at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas airport, where he was questioned for about four hours and released. Rousseff also expressed her “total inconformity” with the operation, which she called unnecessary, although she appeared to distance herself from her one-time mentor by barely mentioning Silva in an address Friday afternoon.
Silva reacted with indignation, denying any wrongdoing and saying the Petrobras corruption case has become a political witch hunt targeting him and his governing Workers’ Party. “I felt like a prisoner this morning,” said Silva, who has expressed interest in possibly running for president again. “I have gone through many things, and I am not one to hold a grudge, but I don’t think our country can continue this way.”
Silva, referring to himself by his nickname, suggested that the country’s elite is out to “criminalize the Workers’ Party, criminalize Lula (since) they could want to continue in power.” Police arrived at about 6 a.m. at Silva’s residence in greater Sao Paulo’s Sao Bernardo do Campo and spirited the 70-year-old to a federal police station at the city’s Congonhas airport. Silva was released after around four hours of questioning.
Silva said he already answered investigators’ questions on three occasions and would have done so again without a police escort, if asked. Police said they also searched the headquarters of his non-profit foundation Instituto Lula, as well as properties connected to his sons and other family members. One of his sons was brought in for questioning.
“I felt like a prisoner this morning,” he said. “I think I deserved more respect than that.” Clashes broke out between Silva’s supporters and critics outside several sites where police were conducting searches. After his release, cheering supporters gathered outside Silva’s apartment to welcome him home.
In a statement, Silva’s successor, President Dilma Rousseff, expressed her “total non-conformity” with the police action, which she called “unnecessary.” Judge Sergio Moro, who is heading the Petrobras investigation, said he allowed the police to haul in Silva for security reasons, citing fears that demonstrations could complicate efforts to question him. He also stipulated that police were not to handcuff or film the former leader.
Officials said they were looking into 30 million Brazilian reais ($8.12 million) in payments for speeches and donations to the Instituto Lula by construction firms that have been crucial players in the Petrobras corruption scheme. They were also looking into whether renovations and other work at a country house and beachfront apartment used by Silva and his family constituted favors in exchange for political benefit. Officials said they were looking into 30 million Brazilian reais ($8.12 million) in payments for speeches and donations to the Instituto Lula by construction firms that were crucial players in the Petrobras corruption scheme. They were also looking into whether renovations and other work at a country house and beachfront apartment used by Silva and his family constituted favors in exchange for political benefit.
“No one is exempt from investigation in this country,” said public prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima. “Anyone in Brazil is subject to be investigated when there are indications of a crime.”“No one is exempt from investigation in this country,” said public prosecutor Carlos Fernando dos Santos Lima. “Anyone in Brazil is subject to be investigated when there are indications of a crime.”
The so-called Car Wash investigation targets a corruption scheme at Petrobras which saw construction companies and others pay billions in bribes to score contracts from the oil company. It already has ensnared some of Brazil’s richest and most powerful businessmen, as well as top politicians from across the political spectrum. Prosecutors in the so-called Car Wash corruption case say more than $2 billion was paid in bribes to obtain Petrobras contracts, with some money making its way to several political parties, including the governing Workers’ Party. Some of Brazil’s wealthiest people, including the heads of top construction companies, have been caught up in the probe, as have dozens of politicians from both the governing coalition and the opposition.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court authorized charges be brought against Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of Congress and a leader of the effort to impeach Rousseff. On Thursday, the Supreme Court authorized that charges be brought against Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of Congress and a leader of the effort to impeach Rousseff.
Silva, a plainspoken former union leader, was among the most revered leaders in Brazilian history when he left office in 2010, leaving the post in the hands of his chosen successor, Rousseff. He has made no secret of his continued presidential aspirations, saying he was mulling a run for the office in 2018. In her address Friday, Rousseff spoke out in support of Silva, though she made only one brief reference to the day’s events. Instead she focused on separate allegations that emerged in the press a day earlier, leading some observers to suggest she was trying to distance herself from Silva.
In response to the day’s events, Silva’s attorneys asked the Supreme Court to suspend the investigation against the former leader, but the court has yet to rule on the matter. The reaction of the governing party was scathing. Workers’ Party president Rui Falcao issued a video statement calling the detention “a political spectacle” that revealed the “true character” of the probe.
Clashes broke out between Silva’s supporters and detractors outside the ex-president’s apartment in Sao Bernardo do Campo and at Congonhas airport, with several hundred Workers’ Party supporters chanting pro-Silva slogans.
Silva’s party called for sympathizers to take to the streets in his support and its president Rui Falcao issued a video statement calling the detention “a political spectacle” that revealed the “true character” of the probe.
“It’s not about combatting corruption but simply to hit the Workers’ Party, President Lula and the government of President Dilma,” Falcao said.“It’s not about combatting corruption but simply to hit the Workers’ Party, President Lula and the government of President Dilma,” Falcao said.
On Twitter, Aecio Neves, the opposition presidential candidate who narrowly lost to Rousseff in the 2014 race, said “the advance of Operation Car Wash is a definitive step toward Brazilians knowing the truth.” Speaking to supporters at his Workers’ Party headquarters in Sao Paulo after the questioning, Silva dismissed the police’s actions as a “media spectacle” aimed at hobbling him.
The summons of Silva brings the sprawling probe closer to Rousseff, though the once-close allies have visibly distanced themselves in recent months. Legal analysts said that bringing Silva in for questioning suggests that any possible case against him is still in its early phases.
While Rousseff herself has not been accused of wrongdoing in the Petrobras probe, she is facing impeachment proceedings in Congress for her government’s alleged use of the country’s pension fund to shore up budget gaps. Rousseff denies the allegations.
Legal analysts said that the fact Silva was brought in for questioning suggested any possible case against him was still in its early phases.
“Police are still collecting evidence. There is no smoking gun because if there were, the searches wouldn’t be needed,” said Jair Jaloreto, a Sao Paulo-based expert on money laundering.“Police are still collecting evidence. There is no smoking gun because if there were, the searches wouldn’t be needed,” said Jair Jaloreto, a Sao Paulo-based expert on money laundering.
A lathe operator at a metal factory who entered politics as a labor union leader, Silva was widely seen as representing the common man, and his ascension to the country’s highest office was hailed in a country where politics have long been dominated by the elite. During his two terms in office, from 2003-2010, Silva presided over galloping economic growth that pulled tens of millions of poor Brazilians into the ranks of the middle class. A lathe operator at a metal factory who entered politics as a labor union leader, Silva was widely seen as representing the common man, and his ascension to the country’s highest office was hailed in a nation long dominated by the elite. During his two terms in office Silva presided over galloping economic growth that pulled tens of millions of poor Brazilians into the ranks of the middle class.
Despite a votes-for-bribes scandal that took down his chief-of-staff, Silva left office with record high popularity levels and his hand-picked successor, Rousseff, handily won the presidency. Despite a votes-for-bribes scandal that took down his chief-of-staff and others, Silva left office with record high popularity levels and his hand-picked successor, Rousseff, handily won the presidency.
Both have seen their popularity nosedive as Brazil slipped into its worst recession in decades and the Car Wash investigation spread. Rousseff’s approval ratings have dipped into single digits, though they’ve rebounded slightly of late. Silva and Rousseff have seen their popularity nosedive as Brazil has slipped into its worst recession in decades and the Car Wash investigation spread. Rousseff’s approval ratings have dipped into single digits, though they’ve rebounded slightly of late. She faces impeachment proceedings.
Rousseff is also facing the opening of impeachment proceedings, brought against her late last year over allegations she violated fiscal responsibility laws.
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Associated Press writer Stan Lehman contributed from Sao Paulo.Associated Press writer Stan Lehman contributed from Sao Paulo.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.