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Brazil: Former leader Lula 'played key role' in Petrobras corruption | Brazil: Former leader Lula 'played key role' in Petrobras corruption |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Brazil's Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has asked the Supreme Court to authorise an investigation against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for alleged corruption. | Brazil's Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has asked the Supreme Court to authorise an investigation against former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for alleged corruption. |
Mr Janot accused Lula of playing a key role in the huge corruption scandal at the state oil company, Petrobras. | Mr Janot accused Lula of playing a key role in the huge corruption scandal at the state oil company, Petrobras. |
Local media report that Mr Janot also requested that current President Dilma Rousseff be investigated. | |
The reports say she is suspected of obstructing the corruption inquiry. | |
However, there has been no official confirmation yet of the request for investigation of President Rousseff. | |
Allegations against Lula | |
Mr Janot accused Lula of playing a key role in the huge corruption scandal at the state oil company, Petrobras. | |
He said the corruption could not have taken place without the participation of the former leader. | He said the corruption could not have taken place without the participation of the former leader. |
Lula, who was in office between 2003 and 2011, denies the allegations. | Lula, who was in office between 2003 and 2011, denies the allegations. |
Lula returned to frontline politics in March, when President Dilma Rousseff nominated him as her chief of staff. | |
But within an hour of being sworn in, a judge suspended his nomination saying it had been aimed at protecting him from possible prosecution on corruption charges. | |
Under Brazilian law, members of the cabinet can only be investigated by the country's top court, the Supreme Court. | |
The Supreme Court has yet to rule on whether he can take up his post. | |
Conspiracy allegations | |
The former president was previously accused of getting a penthouse flat in favourable conditions from a building company involved in the Petrobras scandal. | The former president was previously accused of getting a penthouse flat in favourable conditions from a building company involved in the Petrobras scandal. |
But the accusations filed now by the Brazilian attorney general are much more serious. | But the accusations filed now by the Brazilian attorney general are much more serious. |
Mr Janot said Lula and other senior politicians conspired to create a scheme that siphoned off vast amounts of money from Petrobras. | Mr Janot said Lula and other senior politicians conspired to create a scheme that siphoned off vast amounts of money from Petrobras. |
He requested authorisation to investigate Lula and 29 other senior politicians, officials and businessmen. | He requested authorisation to investigate Lula and 29 other senior politicians, officials and businessmen. |
The speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha - a former government ally who is now in the opposition - and ministers from President Dilma Rousseff's cabinet are on Mr Janot's list. | The speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha - a former government ally who is now in the opposition - and ministers from President Dilma Rousseff's cabinet are on Mr Janot's list. |
Car Wash Operation | Car Wash Operation |
Prosecutors say the corruption scheme is estimated to have cost the company more than $2bn (£1.45bn). | Prosecutors say the corruption scheme is estimated to have cost the company more than $2bn (£1.45bn). |
Part of the money was used to finance the electoral campaign of top Brazilian politicians, they allege. | Part of the money was used to finance the electoral campaign of top Brazilian politicians, they allege. |
The accusations are part of Operation Car Wash, which was launched two years ago by a group of prosecutors focusing initially on money laundering. | The accusations are part of Operation Car Wash, which was launched two years ago by a group of prosecutors focusing initially on money laundering. |
Their investigations led them to allegations of a complex corruption scheme at Petrobras. | Their investigations led them to allegations of a complex corruption scheme at Petrobras. |
Several politicians and Petrobras executives have been arrested and sentenced. | Several politicians and Petrobras executives have been arrested and sentenced. |
Some of them have agreed to testify against other suspects in exchange for more lenient sentences, taking the investigation to a new level. | Some of them have agreed to testify against other suspects in exchange for more lenient sentences, taking the investigation to a new level. |
Until now, 39 people were being officially investigated in Operation Car Wash. | Until now, 39 people were being officially investigated in Operation Car Wash. |
Mr Janot has asked for the inclusion of another 30 names on that list. | Mr Janot has asked for the inclusion of another 30 names on that list. |
He has acted on new information from suspects who agreed to a plea bargain, Brazilian media reported. | He has acted on new information from suspects who agreed to a plea bargain, Brazilian media reported. |
On Monday, Mr Janot requested authorization to investigate prominent opposition leader and former presidential candidate Senator Aecio Neves. | On Monday, Mr Janot requested authorization to investigate prominent opposition leader and former presidential candidate Senator Aecio Neves. |
He has been accused of receiving bribes from officials at the state electric company, Furnas. | He has been accused of receiving bribes from officials at the state electric company, Furnas. |
Mr Neves has rejected the allegations. | Mr Neves has rejected the allegations. |
Ms Rousseff, who defeated Mr Neves by a narrow margin in 2014, was head of the Petrobras board of directors when much of the corruption took place, but she is not facing any official accusations against her. | Ms Rousseff, who defeated Mr Neves by a narrow margin in 2014, was head of the Petrobras board of directors when much of the corruption took place, but she is not facing any official accusations against her. |
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