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Second minister in new Brazil government quits Second minister in new Brazil government quits
(about 7 hours later)
The anti-corruption minister in Brazil's interim government has resigned, after a recording suggested he tried to derail an investigation into the state oil company, Petrobras. The anti-corruption minister in Brazil's interim government has resigned after a recording suggested he tried to derail a corruption probe into state oil company Petrobras.
Fabiano Silveira is the second interim minister to step down, a week after the planning minister resigned following the release of a similar recording. Fabiano Silveira is the second interim minister to step down, a week after Planning Minister Romero Juca resigned over a similar leaked recording.
Mr Silveira says his remarks have been taken out of context. Mr Silveira says his remarks were taken out of context.
Both men were appointed by interim president, Michel Temer. Both ministers were appointed by interim President Michel Temer.
Mr Temer replaced Dilma Rousseff as president in 12 May, after she was suspended to face a Senate impeachment trial over allegations of massaging the budget ahead of her re-election in 2014. 'Coup'
She has argued that impeachment proceedings against her are designed to stop the investigation into Petrobras, known as Lava Jato, or Car Wash. Mr Temer replaced President Dilma Rousseff on 12 May after she was suspended pending an impeachment trial.
In the recorded conversation broadcast on TV, Mr Silveira is heard apparently advising the speaker of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, and an ex-senator, Sergio Machado, on how to avoid investigations by prosecutors. Ms Rousseff is accused of illegally manipulating the budget ahead of her re-election in 2014, which she denies.
He is also heard appearing to criticise investigators in the Petrobras investigation, which has implicated dozens of senior politicians and has led to the jailing of several top business executives. She alleges that the impeachment trial was launched to remove her from power and thereby halt the investigation into corruption at Petrobras.
Mr Machado, who is also the former president of Transpetro, a logistics company owned by Petrobras, is being investigated for corruption. As part of a plea bargain with investigators he has recorded a series of conversations with high-profile politicians. The investigation, dubbed Operation Car Wash, has led to dozens of politicians and business executives coming under scrutiny for allegedly paying and receiving kickbacks and bribes.
In his resignation letter, Mr Silveira said he was being targeted by "very unusual speculations". Leaked recordings made by former Senator Sergio Machado appear to back Ms Rousseff's allegation.
"There is no opposition, in my words, to the works of the public prosecution's office or the judiciary," he said. Mr Machado, who used to run a Petrobras-owned logistics company, recorded the conversations as part of a plea deal with Operation Car Wash prosecutors.
"Those were generic comments and simple opinion, certainly amplified by the climate of political exasperation we have all witnessed." In the latest recording to be broadcast on TV, Mr Silveira can be heard criticising the prosecutors saying they were "totally lost".
Where has the money gone? Brazil's scandals He also seems to advise Senate Speaker Renan Calheiros and Mr Machado on how best to defend themselves from Operation Car Wash.
Prior to his resignation, staff at the ministry symbolically cleaned the building with broomsticks, and dozens of civil servants in the ministry's local offices offered their resignations in protest. Brazil's corruption scandals
Last week, Romero Juca, a close advisor to Mr Temer and interim planning minister, resigned after recordings of conversations with Mr Machado were made public. The recording was made three months before Mr Silveira became anti-corruption minister.
Mr Silveira argues that his remarks were taken out of context: "Those were generic comments and simple opinion, certainly amplified by the climate of political exasperation we have all witnessed."
He also said that he was not trying to obstruct the investigation.
"There is no opposition, in my words, to the works of the public prosecutor's office or the judiciary," he said.
Prior to his resignation, staff at the ministry symbolically cleaned the building with brooms, and dozens of civil servants in the ministry's local offices offered their resignations in protest.
Last week, interim Planning Minister Romero Juca resigned after another recorded conversation with Mr Machado was leaked.
Mr Juca appeared to talk of stopping Operation Car Wash by impeaching Ms Rousseff.