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News > Latin America

More Proof to Come Against Temer: Brazil Top Prosecutor

  • Brazil's President Michel Temer is the nation's first sitting head of state to face criminal charges.

    Brazil's President Michel Temer is the nation's first sitting head of state to face criminal charges. | Photo: Reuters

Published 1 July 2017
Opinion

The Brazilian President has repeatedly said he is innocent and resisted calls to resign.

Brazil's top federal prosecutor says that he took no pleasure in charging President Michel Temer with corruption, but given the clear indications of graft committed by the leader, there was no alternative.

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Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot said at an investigative journalism conference that he was in no rush to level new charges of racketeering and obstruction of justice against Temer. He said he wanted to investigate each allegation as thoroughly as possible.

"As long is there is ammunition, I will keep firing," Janot said. "Until September 17, the power lies with me and I will maintain my own rhythm."

Janot said that there was still ample proof against Temer that will be revealed, which he did not include in the charging document against the president this week.

"If I included everything, the defense would say I had given all the evidence without giving them the right to defend themselves," he said. "They would argue that the entire case should be annulled for that reason."

Temer's attorney, Antonio Mariz, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday. The president, whose government's approval ratings are in the single digits, has repeatedly said he is innocent and resisted calls to resign.

Temer was charged in connection with a graft scheme involving the world's largest meatpacker, JBS SA.

Executives said in plea-bargain testimony the president took bribes for resolving tax matters, freeing up loans from state-run banks and other matters.

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Temer Charges Proceed

Janot's charge alleges Temer arranged to eventually receive a total of US$11.49 million from JBS in the next nine months.

Under Brazilian law, the lower house of Congress must now vote on whether to allow the Supreme Court to try the nation´s leader, who replaced his impeached predecessor Dilma Rousseff just over a year ago.

Lawmakers within Temer's coalition are confident they have the votes to block the two-third majority required to proceed with a trial.

But they also acknowledge that if forced to vote on repeated charges against the president, support for him could unravel as lawmakers worry about their own reelections next year.

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