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Brazil’s Vice President, Michel Temer, Won’t Face Inquiry Over Petrobras Brazil’s Vice President, Michel Temer, Won’t Face Inquiry Over Petrobras
(about 4 hours later)
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s vice president, Michel Temer, who is preparing to take control of the country’s embattled government as early as next week, will not face an investigation over testimony implicating him in the colossal graft scandal engulfing Petrobras, the national oil company, federal investigators said Tuesday.RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s vice president, Michel Temer, who is preparing to take control of the country’s embattled government as early as next week, will not face an investigation over testimony implicating him in the colossal graft scandal engulfing Petrobras, the national oil company, federal investigators said Tuesday.
Rodrigo Janot, the prosecutor general, determined that the accusations against Mr. Temer were not substantial enough at this point to merit an inquiry, according to a spokeswoman for Mr. Janot’s office in the capital, Brasília. Mr. Temer, 75, has been maneuvering to replace President Dilma Rousseff if the Senate votes next week to suspend her and put her on trial.Rodrigo Janot, the prosecutor general, determined that the accusations against Mr. Temer were not substantial enough at this point to merit an inquiry, according to a spokeswoman for Mr. Janot’s office in the capital, Brasília. Mr. Temer, 75, has been maneuvering to replace President Dilma Rousseff if the Senate votes next week to suspend her and put her on trial.
The decision bolsters Mr. Temer’s standing at a critical juncture when powerful figures across Brazil’s political class are battling accusations of corruption and abuse of power, including various top allies that Mr. Temer is considering for cabinet posts as well as officials in Ms. Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party.The decision bolsters Mr. Temer’s standing at a critical juncture when powerful figures across Brazil’s political class are battling accusations of corruption and abuse of power, including various top allies that Mr. Temer is considering for cabinet posts as well as officials in Ms. Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party.
Mr. Temer came under scrutiny this year when Delcídio do Amaral, a senator whose testimony as part of a plea bargain has jolted Brazil’s political elite, told investigators that Mr. Temer had played a key role in obtaining posts at Petrobras for two executives who have since been sentenced to prison on charges including fraud and bribery.Mr. Temer came under scrutiny this year when Delcídio do Amaral, a senator whose testimony as part of a plea bargain has jolted Brazil’s political elite, told investigators that Mr. Temer had played a key role in obtaining posts at Petrobras for two executives who have since been sentenced to prison on charges including fraud and bribery.
One of the former Petrobras executives oversaw an illegal ethanol purchasing scheme that benefitted legislators from Mr. Temer’s centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, according to investigators. One of the former Petrobras executives oversaw an illegal ethanol purchasing scheme that benefited legislators from Mr. Temer’s centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, according to investigators.
In an interview in April, Mr. Temer said that he was innocent of any wrongdoing and that his connections to the disgraced Petrobras figures involved bureaucratic responsibilities as the former head of his party.In an interview in April, Mr. Temer said that he was innocent of any wrongdoing and that his connections to the disgraced Petrobras figures involved bureaucratic responsibilities as the former head of his party.
Still, the prosecutor’s office kept open the possibility that Mr. Temer could face inquiries over other matters.Still, the prosecutor’s office kept open the possibility that Mr. Temer could face inquiries over other matters.
For instance, investigators recently disclosed an intercepted text message describing a payment of 5 million reais, about $1.4 million, to Mr. Temer from O.A.S., an engineering company engulfed in the Petrobras scandal. Mr. Temer has acknowledged receiving that money, contending it was a legal campaign donation.For instance, investigators recently disclosed an intercepted text message describing a payment of 5 million reais, about $1.4 million, to Mr. Temer from O.A.S., an engineering company engulfed in the Petrobras scandal. Mr. Temer has acknowledged receiving that money, contending it was a legal campaign donation.
The Senate is widely expected to vote next week to suspend Ms. Rousseff for 180 days and put her on trial over claims that she manipulated the federal budget by using funds from public banks to cover shortfalls.The Senate is widely expected to vote next week to suspend Ms. Rousseff for 180 days and put her on trial over claims that she manipulated the federal budget by using funds from public banks to cover shortfalls.
The Chamber of Deputies voted last month by a wide margin to approve the impeachment of Ms. Rousseff, a move that the president and her supporters have described as a coup.The Chamber of Deputies voted last month by a wide margin to approve the impeachment of Ms. Rousseff, a move that the president and her supporters have described as a coup.
The prosecutor general’s office also said Tuesday that it was moving forward with investigations involving an array of figures in Ms. Rousseff’s Workers’ Party in connection with the Petrobras graft scheme, including former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was already under scrutiny over his ties to construction companies, and Jaques Wagner, Ms. Rousseff’s chief of staff. The prosecutor general’s office also said Tuesday that it was seeking to move forward with investigations involving an array of figures in Ms. Rousseff’s Workers’ Party in connection with the Petrobras scandal, including former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was already under scrutiny over his ties to construction companies, and Jaques Wagner, Ms. Rousseff’s chief of staff.
In addition, Mr. Janot’s office said that it was seeking to investigate several top allies of Mr. Temer’s, including Eduardo Cunha, the speaker of the lower house of Congress who is already facing various graft inquiries. Mr. Cunha, who led the effort to impeach Ms. Rousseff and who will be next in line for the presidency if Mr. Temer takes over, has said that he has no plans to resign. And the Globo television network reported on Tuesday night that Mr. Janot had also asked the Supreme Court to authorize an inquiry into whether Ms. Rousseff sought to obstruct the Petrobras investigation. The offices of Mr. Janot and Ms. Rousseff were not immediately available to comment on that report.