Brazil Senate Now Wants to Protect Politicians from Corruption

The Brazilian Senate is looking to approve a law that will curb the authority of prosecutors and judges involved in corruption investigations, a move widely criticized as a strategy by the Michel Temer-led coup government to shield themselves from graft charges, especially the biggest in the country's history involving state-run oil company Petrobras.

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The bill could result in jail time for judges and attorneys who accuse public sector authorities "in a fearful way," which is being seen by analysts as an attempt to stop the Petrobras investigation, often referred to as "Operation Car Wash."

Judge Sergio Moro, who is presiding over the Petrobras investigation, said the proposal sends the wrong signal to a country that wants to see tougher actions against corruption.

He said the bill is an attempt to intimidate those looking to implicate dozens of politicians in the corruption scandal.

"Maybe this is not the best moment to consider legislating on abuse of authority, given the important investigations underway," said Moro.

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The bill was already approved by the Lower House on Wednesday, with a vote of 450-1. It was originally seen as an anti-corruption measure but lawmakers removed key elements, including a legal definition of illegal enrichment and the creation of a reward and protection system for informants.

To add to this, Congress now faces yet another scandal as Brazil's Supreme Court indicted the president of the Senate, Renan Calheiros, on Thursday for embezzlement. He also faces 11 investigations for corruption, eight of them for kickbacks in the massive corruption scandal within Petrobras.

The top court voted 8-3 to try the senator for charges of misusing public funds as part of a nine-year-old case involving the payment of child support for a daughter Calheiros had in an extramarital affair.

The ruling is expected to add to the growing tensions between the judiciary and the scandal-plagued Congress.