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Brazil leaked tape forces minister Romero Juca out | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A close ally of Brazil's acting President Michel Temer is stepping aside in a new political scandal. | |
Planning Minister Romero Juca was caught on tape allegedly conspiring to obstruct the country's biggest-ever corruption investigation. | Planning Minister Romero Juca was caught on tape allegedly conspiring to obstruct the country's biggest-ever corruption investigation. |
In the tapes, leaked by a newspaper, he appears to talk of stopping the probe at oil giant Petrobras by impeaching suspended President Dilma Rousseff. | In the tapes, leaked by a newspaper, he appears to talk of stopping the probe at oil giant Petrobras by impeaching suspended President Dilma Rousseff. |
Mr Juca says his comments have been taken out of context. | Mr Juca says his comments have been taken out of context. |
'Political coup' | |
Dilma Rousseff said the tapes prove that the impeachment process is a "political coup" designed to protect senior figures implicated in the Petrobras scandal. | Dilma Rousseff said the tapes prove that the impeachment process is a "political coup" designed to protect senior figures implicated in the Petrobras scandal. |
She is accused of massaging budget figures ahead of her re-election in 2014, and is due to be tried in the senate in the coming months. | She is accused of massaging budget figures ahead of her re-election in 2014, and is due to be tried in the senate in the coming months. |
In the audio transcript, leaked by the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper on Monday, Mr Juca appears to be saying the impeachment was necessary to "staunch the bleeding" and create a "political pact" needed to "stop everything and limit things." | |
Folha says the recording was made by the man Mr Juca was talking to, Sergio Machado. | |
Mr Machado is a former senator who until recently headed Transpetro, Brazil's largest oil and gas transport company. | |
He is under investigation over his alleged involvement in the Petrobras scandal. | |
The newspaper alleges he recorded the conversations with a view to negotiating a plea bargain, wanting to exchange information implicating other suspects for a lower sentence. | |
Mr Machado himself has not commented. | |
For many analysts, the context of the conversation appears to be Brazil's political crisis, and he seems to be talking about preventing further investigations into Petrobras. | |
In comments immediately taken up by Ms Rousseff's supporters as evidence for her claim of a coup, Mr Juca also said:"I am talking to the generals, the military commanders. They are fine with this, they say they will guarantee it." | In comments immediately taken up by Ms Rousseff's supporters as evidence for her claim of a coup, Mr Juca also said:"I am talking to the generals, the military commanders. They are fine with this, they say they will guarantee it." |
Public scepticism | Public scepticism |
In a news conference, Mr Juca did not deny the authenticity of the recording but said his quotes had been misinterpreted and taken out of context. | In a news conference, Mr Juca did not deny the authenticity of the recording but said his quotes had been misinterpreted and taken out of context. |
He said it was public knowledge he was in favour of the impeachment and that he had been referring to the Brazilian economy, not the Petrobras investigation, which he backed. | |
Dozens of top-ranking politicians and business executives have been charged or already convicted for participation in the Petrobras bribery and embezzlement scheme. | Dozens of top-ranking politicians and business executives have been charged or already convicted for participation in the Petrobras bribery and embezzlement scheme. |
Mr Juca himself said :"There is nothing wrong in being investigated - there is something wrong in being charged." | Mr Juca himself said :"There is nothing wrong in being investigated - there is something wrong in being charged." |
"I have never done anything to complicate the investigation." | "I have never done anything to complicate the investigation." |
The BBC's Julia Carneiro in Brasilia says the recording reinforces scepticism in the country about President Temer's assurances that he would not interfere with the investigations. | The BBC's Julia Carneiro in Brasilia says the recording reinforces scepticism in the country about President Temer's assurances that he would not interfere with the investigations. |
Mr Juca is one of the main architects of the impeachment proceedings against Ms Rousseff. | Mr Juca is one of the main architects of the impeachment proceedings against Ms Rousseff. |
He is also the vice-president of Mr Temer's PMDB party. Three other PMDB ministers in the new government, which took over earlier this month, are also under investigation in the Petrobras case. | He is also the vice-president of Mr Temer's PMDB party. Three other PMDB ministers in the new government, which took over earlier this month, are also under investigation in the Petrobras case. |