Beyond the anti-democratic means they used to seize power, Brazil’s new leaders — most of whom who were also key plotters in Rousseff’s removal — are themselves the targets of serious corruption investigations, drowning in all sorts of official allegations. Given that impeachment was justified based on the need to fight corruption, that is an ironic fact indeed (despite the high number of politicians in her party implicated in these personal-corruption scandals, including her predecessor Lula da Silva, Dilma herself never has been). Thanks to the legal “privilege” high-level Brazilian officials have gifted themselves — whereby they can only be tried by the nation’s Supreme Court, which is so backlogged that it will be many, many years before that is remotely possible — most of these corruption scandals are unlikely to be legally adjudicated for some time, and in most cases they have denied their own guilt, though they are based in credible evidence.
The corruption scandals plaguing Brazil’s new leaders are so widespread that it is often hard to keep track of, so The Intercept is publishing a guide to help identity them as they emerge and appear throughout the Olympics:
Photo illustrations by The Intercept:
- Accused of receiving $5 million from construction firm OAS
- Banned by court for running for any office for 8 years for violating campaign finance law
- 3 of his ministers resigned due to corruption scandals in 5 weeks of governing
- Cited 12 times in secret list of construction giant Camargo Correia, next to amounts totaling US$ 345,000
- Formally accused of requesting R$ 1.5 million in illegal campaign funds for his party
- Accused by executives of construction firm OAS as part of plea agreement
- Despite failed attempts to hide it, his name was revealed in police reports monitoring the phone calls of imprisoned construction magnate Marcelo Odebrecht
- Target of 8 Lava Jato investigations for his alleged involvement in corruption schemes at Petrobras
- Investigated by Operation Zelotes for suspicion of selling budgetary amendments
- Named by owner of construction firm UTC for receiving R$ 1.5 million in kickbacks
- Accused by the Public Ministry of having the expenses of a lover paid with bribe money from construction company Mendes Junior
- Attorney General requested his immediate imprisonment in June on grounds he was obstructing investigation, but Supreme Court refused
- Was caught, in recordings, conspiring to obstruct Lava Jato investigation and plotting Dilma’s impeachment: forced to resign as Temer’s minister
- With Senate President Renan, was cited by owner of UTC for also receiving R$ 1.5 million in kickbacks
- Investigated by Operation Zelotes for allegedly receiving R$ 15 million to secure approve of amendments for benefit of auto industry
- Attorney General requested his immediate imprisonment in June on grounds he was obstructing investigation, but Supreme Court refused
- Suspended by Supreme Court from House Presidency shortly after presiding over Dilma’s impeachment vote on charges of bribery, obstruction of justice, and lying about secret Swiss bank accounts
- Accused of having received at least R$ 5 million in bribes from a Petrobras-related affiliate
- After formally telling Congress he had no foreign bank accounts, millions in Swiss banks were found under his control
- According to plea statement of construction executive, received R$ 52 million in kickbacks from construction firms
- Target of investigation over alleged participation in massive corruption scheme involving energy cmopany Furnas
- According to ex-Senator and oil industry executive, received R$ 1 million in kickbacks
- As governor of Minas Gerais, built an airport inside the farm of a relative at a total of R$ 14 million
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