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| Brazilian police raid home of speaker Cunha and other senior politicians | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Brazilian police have raided the homes of the speaker of the country’s lower house, Eduardo Cunha, and at least one minister, widening the scope of an investigation into a suspected web of corruption linking ruling coalition politicians and influential business figures. | Brazilian police have raided the homes of the speaker of the country’s lower house, Eduardo Cunha, and at least one minister, widening the scope of an investigation into a suspected web of corruption linking ruling coalition politicians and influential business figures. |
| Cunha is at loggerheads with Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, after opening impeachment proceedings against her on 2 December over opposition allegations that she violated budget laws to increase spending during her re-election campaign last year. | Cunha is at loggerheads with Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, after opening impeachment proceedings against her on 2 December over opposition allegations that she violated budget laws to increase spending during her re-election campaign last year. |
| A federal police statement said the swoop on Cunha’s homes in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro were among 53 raids carried out in seven states on Tuesday. Targets included the residences of the tourism minister, Henrique Eduardo Alves, former mining and energy minister Edison Lobão and lower house legislator Anibal Gomes. | A federal police statement said the swoop on Cunha’s homes in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro were among 53 raids carried out in seven states on Tuesday. Targets included the residences of the tourism minister, Henrique Eduardo Alves, former mining and energy minister Edison Lobão and lower house legislator Anibal Gomes. |
| Related: Dilma Rousseff's fate as Brazil president could hinge on her political enemies | Related: Dilma Rousseff's fate as Brazil president could hinge on her political enemies |
| News channel GloboNews reported that the home of the science minister, Celso Pansera, had also been searched, but it was not immediately possible to confirm that. | News channel GloboNews reported that the home of the science minister, Celso Pansera, had also been searched, but it was not immediately possible to confirm that. |
| GloboNews broadcast images of Cunha’s home in Brasilia, the country’s capital, surrounded by police vans. The veteran legislator, a former Rousseff ally turned adversary, remained inside the house, an aide said. | GloboNews broadcast images of Cunha’s home in Brasilia, the country’s capital, surrounded by police vans. The veteran legislator, a former Rousseff ally turned adversary, remained inside the house, an aide said. |
| The lawyers for Gomes, Pansera and Lobão could not be contacted immediately for comment. Calls to the federal police in Brasilia and Cunha’s lawyer were not immediately answered. | The lawyers for Gomes, Pansera and Lobão could not be contacted immediately for comment. Calls to the federal police in Brasilia and Cunha’s lawyer were not immediately answered. |
| Police said supreme federal court justice Teori Zawascki gave the go-ahead for the searches as part of “Operation Car Wash”, an inquiry into alleged payment of bribes for contracts at state-controlled firms, especially oil concern Petrobras – Brazil’s biggest corruption scandal. | Police said supreme federal court justice Teori Zawascki gave the go-ahead for the searches as part of “Operation Car Wash”, an inquiry into alleged payment of bribes for contracts at state-controlled firms, especially oil concern Petrobras – Brazil’s biggest corruption scandal. |
| Cunha, whose Democratic Movement party is the coalition’s largest, was charged in August with graft and money-laundering, becoming the first sitting politician to face prosecution under Operation Car Wash. | Cunha, whose Democratic Movement party is the coalition’s largest, was charged in August with graft and money-laundering, becoming the first sitting politician to face prosecution under Operation Car Wash. |
| He quit Rousseff’s coalition in July and this month kicked off impeachment proceedings against her. Cunha has also halted to ease Brazil’s swelling fiscal shortfall by spurring the passage of bills ramping up spending. | He quit Rousseff’s coalition in July and this month kicked off impeachment proceedings against her. Cunha has also halted to ease Brazil’s swelling fiscal shortfall by spurring the passage of bills ramping up spending. |
| Many Brazilians are less upset about Rousseff’s alleged budget violations than about the worst economic recession in at least 25 years and the graft scandal at Petrobras that has ensnared many of Rousseff’s allies. | Many Brazilians are less upset about Rousseff’s alleged budget violations than about the worst economic recession in at least 25 years and the graft scandal at Petrobras that has ensnared many of Rousseff’s allies. |
| Rousseff is not under investigation, but many question how she could not have known about the corruption as she was chair of the company from 2003-10. | Rousseff is not under investigation, but many question how she could not have known about the corruption as she was chair of the company from 2003-10. |