Brazil: former Lower House Speaker Cunha, "Rousseff's hangman", sentenced to 15 years in jail for corruption

A Federal Court sentenced Brazil’s former speaker of the Lower House, Eduardo Cunha, to more than 15 years in prison on Thursday for corruption, making him the highest-profile political conviction yet in the “Operation Car Wash” scandal. The former politician’s defense team said they would appeal the decision but Cunha will remain imprisoned pending appeal.

Cunha, who drove the successful impeachment of former President Dilma Rousseff, was forced from his position as speaker in July and arrested in October on accusations he received millions in bribes from the purchase of an oil field in Benin by state-run oil company Petrobras.

Over 200 people have been charged in the “Operation Car Wash” probe, a far-reaching investigation that centers on bribes and political kickbacks from contracts at Petrobras. The Supreme Court is likely to approve soon the investigation of dozens of sitting politicians.

In February 2015, Cunha, a member of President Michel Temer’s Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) that for a decade was the main member of left-leaning Workers Party (PT) governments, defied the wishes of his own coalition to run for and win the speakership of the lower house of Congress.

Just six months later, he officially broke with the PT government of Rousseff, saying that she was using the Petrobras investigation as a tool of “political persecution” against him.

As speaker, only Cunha could allow impeachment proceedings to begin against Rousseff, whom critics accused of breaking budgetary laws. He did just that in December 2015, just hours after PT deputies cast deciding votes for him to face an investigation by the House’s ethics committee for lying about bank accounts he and his wife held in Switzerland.

By May, Rousseff was impeached and Temer installed as successor. But Cunha could not shake free of corruption allegations that eventually led to his downfall. Once he was kicked out of congress, Cunha lost the privilege given to sitting politicians that only the badly overburdened Supreme Court can try them.

His case was instead sent to the federal judge Sergio Moro, who has been the driving force behind Brazil’s fight against graft. Moro has a reputation for plowing through cases efficiently, with over 98% of his convictions in Car Wash cases being upheld by higher courts.

Cunha faces another trial for allegedly receiving US$5 million skimmed from Petrobras contracts for two drill ships in 2006 and 2007.

Source: Mercopress Agency

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Relator da Lava Jato no STF anunciará em abril decisão sobre “lista de Janot”

O Relator da Operação Lava Jato no Superior Tribunal Federal (STF), Ministro Edson Fachin, informou por meio de sua assessoria que decidirá sobre pedidos da Procuradoria-Geral da República (PGR) ainda no mês de abril.  No dia 14 de março, o Procurador-Geral da República Rodrigo Janot enviou 83 pedidos de abertura de inquérito contra políticos citados em delações por executivos da construtora Odebrecht. Espera-se que mais de cem políticos com foro privilegiado estejam entre os citados pela PGR. Os nomes ainda estão mantidos em sigilo e o caso tem causado nervosismo dentro do Congresso e no Planalto.

Fachin informou ainda que as decisões serão anunciadas em conjunto. A previsão inicial era de que o Ministro começaria divulgações dos pedidos já nesta semana. Além dos pedidos de abertura de investigação contra políticos, Rodrigo Janot solicitou 211 declínios de competência para outras instâncias da Justiça, nos casos que envolvem pessoas sem prerrogativa de foro, além de 7 arquivamentos e 19 outras providências.

Entre as decisões, também há a expectativa para que o Ministro-Relator acate o pedido do Procurador-Geral da República para que torne público todo o material. Todos os pedidos foram realizados a partir dos acordos de colaboração premiada firmados com 77 executivos e ex-executivos das empresas Odebrecht e Braskem no âmbito da Operação Lava Jato.

Na ocasião do envio dos pedidos da PGR, o material chegou ao STF em dez caixas que ficaram guardadas em uma sala cofre no 3º andar do prédio principal da Corte. O material, que é mantido em sigilo, já foi digitalizado e protocolado. Somente na última terça-feira (21) o ministro recebeu em seu gabinete todos os documentos. De lá para cá, tem analisado cada caso.

Na lista de Janot

Entre os 83 pedidos de abertura de inquéritos contra políticos, estão algumas das principais lideranças do Congresso Nacional. Os Presidentes do Senado, Eunício Oliveira (PMDB/CE), e da Câmara dos Deputados, Rodrigo Maia (DEM/RJ), bem como cinco Ministros do Governo Michel Temer: Eliseu Padilha (Casa Civil), Moreira Franco (Secretaria-Geral da Presidência), Aloysio Nunes Ferreira (Relações Exteriores), Gilberto Kassab (Ciência, Tecnologia e Comunicações) e Bruno Araújo (Cidades).

Também figuram na lista de Janot os senadores Aécio Neves (PSDB/MG), José Serra (PSDB/SP), Renan Calheiros (PMDB/AL), Romero Jucá (PMDB/RR) e Edison Lobão (PMDB/MA).

Fonte: Congresso em Foco e Agência Brasil

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Brazil: Temer says meat fraud scheme impacts small part of industry; China temporarily bars Brazilian meat

Photo: Presidência da República/Beto Barata

In a statement made Monday (Mar. 20), the Brazilian President Michel Temer said the issues uncovered at meat processing plants by the Federal Police as part of Operation “Weak Flesh” affect only a small part of the sector. “Agribusiness is of the utmost importance to us and must not lose its value on account of a small core, something that will shrink in size: it can be investigated, monitored, and punished whenever necessary. But we must not compromise the whole system we've been putting together over the years. We've been exporting to over 150 countries,” the president told an audience of investors at the headquarters of the American Chamber of Commerce, in São Paulo.

The crackdown was launched last Friday (17) and targeted some of the country's biggest food giants, like JBS, BRF, and Peccin, accused of committing a number of frauds to conceal the use of expired or low-quality material in food production.

Temer noted that the number of public officials implicated (33) is small compared to all 11 thousand officials in the Ministry of Agriculture. “Our sanitary assessment systems here in Brazil are extremely rigorous,” he stressed. The officials are being accused of pocketing bribes in exchange for releasing products that did not comply with the regulations. He went on to say that the number of plants under suspicion (21) is small, taking into consideration the whole of the sector, which includes over 4.8 thousand establishments.

The president further mentioned the several meetings he held in recent days both to become acquainted with the topic and to reassure the countries buying Brazilian foods. “I've been to a number of meetings in Brasília, first with the ministers from the areas involved in the issue, then with the associations of meat producers of all kinds, as well as the ambassadors from the countries importing Brazilian meat. We ended up in a fraternal atmosphere last night, eating barbecue with all the representatives of the countries in attendance,” he said.

China temporarily bars Brazilian meat from entry

China suspended the entry of Brazilian meat in the country until Brazil provides clarification regarding Operation “Weak Flesh”.

In a note, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply announced it will provide all clarifications to the Chinese as quickly as possible. “Until it received the information, China will not allow the meat from Brazil to land. Minister [Blairo Maggi] said he will hold a video conference with Chinese authorities to provide the clarifications,” the statement says.

According to news agency Xinhua, Brazil's exports to China nearly doubled in the first two months compared to the same period in 2016. In January and February, the exports raised $6.246 billion, mostly through the sale of oil and iron, soy, wood pulp, and beef. The value of Brazil's exports to China leaped 94.3%, driven by an increase in the price of raw materials like oil and iron.

On Monday morning, a ruling from the ministry removed federal superintendents for agriculture, livestock, and supply Gil Bueno de Magalhães in Paraná, and Júlio César Carneiro in Goiás. On Friday, after the launch of the Weak Flesh probe by the Federal Police, the government had announced the ouster of 33 government officials suspected of being involved in the irregularities being investigated.

The investigators believe that the processing plants implicated in the scheme “masked” spoiled meat and repackaged them to sell them. The companies bribed government-appointed inspectors in exchange for allowing the products to be traded without due inspection.

Chile and South Korea

China's was the only suspension confirmed by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. However, according to news agency DPA, Chile's Agriculture Minister Carlos Furche announced that the country barred Brazilian meat from entry until further clarifications on the scope of the scheme are provided.

By contrast, South Korea overturned its decision to bar Brazilian meat imports. In his opening speech at the 2017 Latin American Cities Conference, in Brasília, Temer further said he is not familiar with all the details concerning the current position of the South Korean government, but he believes it came as a reaction to the clarifications provided by the Brazilian authorities.

The president noted he has already ordered the creation of a task force to further probe into the irregularities and mentioned the measures adopted to prevent the economy from suffering any more harm. “The officials [charged] were ousted by the minister of agriculture, Blairo Maggi, yesterday”.

Source: Agência Brasil

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Operação "Carne Fraca": Propinas de frigoríficos teriam pago campanhas do PMDB e do PP; Bovespa reage com perdas no setor

A Polícia Federal lançou em seis Estados e no Distrito Federal nesta sexta-feira a Operação “Carne Fraca”, com o objetivo de desarticular organização criminosa supostamente liderada por fiscais agropecuários federais e empresários do agronegócio. A Operação investiga a venda ilegal de carnes por grandes frigoríficos brasileiros e a existência de sistema de propinas destinado a fraudar autorizações sanitárias no setor.

Segundo os investigadores, Parte do dinheiro da propina paga pelas empresas envolvidas na Operação Carne Fraca era destinado à campanha eleitorais de partidos políticos, notadamente o PP e o PMDB. A informação foi divulgada pelo delegado da Polícia Federal, Maurício Grillo, em entrevista coletiva concedida em Curitiba.

“Está bem claro que uma parte do dinheiro da propina era revertido para partido político. Era destinado para campanha política”, afirmou o delegado. Questionado sobre os partidos que seriam beneficiados, respondeu: “No caso de dois partidos, PP e PMDB, era muito claro”. Grillo afirmou que não é ainda possível afirmar quanto foi repassado aos partidos nem quanto tempo durou esse esquema. “Nos dois anos da investigação era muito claro, mas não sabemos se havia antes.”

O delegado informou que ainda não é possível apontar o volume de propina movimentada pelo grupo. No entanto, os policiais encontraram grandes somas de dinheiro em espécie na casa de vários fiscais agropecuários suspeitos de envolvimento no suposto esquema de corrupção.

Ministro da Justiça aparece em áudios, mas PF não vê crime

O Ministro da Justiça, Osmar Serraglio, é citado em áudios captados nas investigações. A Polícia Federal não apontou ilegalidade na conduta do Ministro, que teve interceptada uma conversa telefônica com o superintendente do Ministério da Agricultura do Paraná de 2007 a 2016, Daniel Gonçalves Filho, que seria o líder da organização criminosa.

Na prestação de contas do Deputado Osmar Serraglio (PMDB/PR) à Justiça Eleitoral em 2014, consta uma doação oficial de R$ 200 mil da JBS, por intermédio do Diretório Nacional do PMDB.

Na época em que exercia o mandato de Deputado Federal, Serraglio ligou para o superintendente para obter informações sobre o frigorífico Larissa, de Iporã (PR), de Paulo Roberto Sposito, que foi candidato a Deputado Federal por São Paulo em 2010.

“Grande chefe, tudo bem? Viu, tá tendo um problema lá em Iporã, cê tá sabendo? O cara que está fiscalizando lá apavorou o Sposito, disse que hoje vai fechar aquele frigorífico… botou a boca. Deixou o Paulo apavorado”, afirmou Serraglio ao telefone. Gonçalves entrou em contato com o fiscal da área para ser informado sobre o ocorrido. Informado de que não haveria nada de errado na empresa, o superintendente passa a informação a Serraglio.

O Ministério da Justiça divulgou nota em que destaca a conclusão do Ministério Público e da Justiça Federal de que não há indício de ilegalidade na conversa que envolve o Ministro. “Se havia alguma dúvida de que o Ministro Osmar Serraglio, ao assumir o cargo, interferiria de alguma forma na autonomia do trabalho da Polícia Federal, esse é um exemplo cabal que fala por si só. O Ministro soube hoje, como um cidadão igual a todos, que teve seu nome citado em uma investigação. A conclusão tanto pelo Ministério Público Federal quanto pelo Juiz Federal é a de que não há qualquer indício de ilegalidade nessa conversa degravada”, diz a nota.

Bovespa recua com notícias sobre a investigação: JBS e BRF lideram perdas

O principal índice da bolsa paulista mostrava fraqueza nesta sexta-feira, com as ações da JBS (controladora da Friboi e da Seara) e da BRF (fusão entre Sadia e Perdigão) liderando as perdas, em sessão marcada por um intenso noticiário corporativo.

Às 12h01, o Ibovespa caía 1,37 por cento, a 64.880 pontos. O indicador chegou a abrir no azul, subindo 0,64 por cento na máxima do pregão. O giro financeiro era de R$ 2,6 bilhões.

Também no radar estava o cenário político brasileiro, enquanto os investidores avaliam se as recentes delações envolvendo o núcleo do Governo de Michel Temer podem afetar o avanço de propostas como a da Previdência.

Segundo analistas, o cenário político será crucial para garantir que o tom positivo após dados econômicos recentes como desaceleração da inflação e criação de vagas formais após quase dois anos de quedas seja sustentado.

No exterior, o mercado segue atento à reunião de ministros das Finanças do G20 na Alemanha, o primeiro desde que Donald Trump assumiu a presidência dos Estados Unidos. O encontro deve terminar sem acordo sobre rejeição ao protecionismo, mas com a reafirmação de que líderes repudiam desvalorizações competitivas do câmbio.

Fontes: Congresso em Foco e Reuters

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Brazil: Inflation likely to close out year below center of target

Brazil's official inflation, as measured by the National Broad Consumer Price Index (IPCA) is expected to close out the year below the center of the target (4.5%). The estimate was made by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), which released its report on the first quarter of 2017. The institute did not announce a specific estimate for the IPCA, but merely declared it should end the year below 4.5%.

After last year's deflation, the institute reported, fixed prices (like energy, transport and other public fees) are to face a slight hike this year. The phenomenon is expected to raise inflation in the last quarter, but not enough to exceed the center of the target.

Food

According to IPEA, price rates are expected to slow further down for the rest of the year, thanks to the behavior of free prices. Most noteworthy are food prices, which should face a weaker increase this year, or even decline in some cases, as a result of the increase in grain harvests and oil-producing plants and not as a result of climate phenomena in the main producing regions, as has been the case over the previous years.

As for decisive external factors, IPEA reported that the price of commodities will hold steady chiefly for three reasons. Oil extraction will be counterbalanced by the increase in the US production of shale oil, the havests in both hemispheres are expected to rise, and China's decision to curb economic growth should pull down the globe's demand for iron ore.

Source: Agência Brasil

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New Brazilian Foreign Minister is a critic of Trump's victory, sponsors Mercosur, the Pacific Alliance and Free Trade

Foto: Pedro França/Agência Estado

Brazilian President Michel Temer has picked as his new Foreign Minister a man who already has criticized U.S. President Trump. Temer named Senator Aloysio Nunes (71) to the post on Thursday to replace José Serra. Serra resigned last week alleging medical reasons. The appointment doesn't require congressional approval. Both Nunes and Serra belong to the center-right PSDB party, member of the ruling coalition.

After Trump's victory in November, Nunes went on Twitter to call the real estate mogul “the worst” of the Republican Party, “uncontrollable” and “exaggerated.”

A leftist guerrilla when a student who fought against Brazil's military dictatorship in the late 1960’s, (he was forced into exile in France from 1968 to 1979), Nunes is today a strong advocate of free trade and private initiative. He promoted closer ties to the United States as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but his initial response to the election of Trump last year was very negative. Nunes was also Justice Minister in 2001-2002.

Nunes is expected to follow Serra's lead in moving away from a foreign policy of alignment with left-wing governments in Latin America followed by the Workers Party that was ousted from power with the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff last year.

“At this moment, in which Brazil is beginning to emerge from a deep crisis, foreign policy can make a big contribution in the economy, in foreign trade, in attracting investments to create more jobs,” he said in a video on his Facebook page.

Nunes said he will work to revive the five-nation Mercosur trade bloc of South America by drawing it closer to the Pacific Alliance countries and concluding a trade deal with the European Union.

Nunes is a senior figure of PSDB party, a crucial ally for Temer's center-right PMDB at a time when the President is trying to maintain congressional support for austerity reforms and to stem the damage from a sprawling corruption scandal that has already brought down several ministers.

Source: Mercopress Agency

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