By Kaitlyn Degnan
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BRASILIA, Brazil — The Federal Supreme Court has ruled that former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula) may be questioned in the Petrobras scandal. He may only be questioned as a witness and not as a target of investigation. Prosecutors say there is no evidence of tying Lula, who served as president of Brazil from 2003 until 2011, to any crimes. Should evidence of wrongdoing come to light, the Supreme Court would have to specifically authorize an investigation into Lula’s conduct.
The Federal Police motioned to question Lula, saying that he may have “obtained benefits for himself, his party, the still-governing PT (Workers Party); or his administration by maintaining a base of political support sustained at the cost of illicit business.” Investigators said that evidence that had already been obtained in plea bargain testimony from those already convicted implies that the scandal “reaches the political and partisan nucleus of his government.”
The scheme at the center of the Petrobras scandal is alleged to have run from 2004 until 2014. The scheme provided kickbacks for contracts and created the illusion of a competitive bidding process.
During at least part of the time when the scheme was in place, current President Dilma Rousseff was serving as Chairwoman of Petrobras. She has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
A number of high level officials who served under Lula have already been implicated in the scandal, including his former Chief of Staff, Jose Dirceu. Dirceu has been charged by federal prosecutors with corruption, money laundering and racketeering. He is believed to have started the scheme.
The former treasurer of the Worker’s Party Joao Vaccari was convicted of corruption, money laundering and conspiracy, and sentenced to over 15 years in prison. He accepted at least $1 million in bribes.
Additionally, charges have been brought against the current speaker of the lower house of congress, Eduardo Cunha, and senator Fernando Collor de Mello, who was president from 1990-1992.
As a result of the scandal, the Court has issued a prohibition on corporate entities providing funding to political candidates.
For more information, please see:
Reuters – Brazil court allows allows Lula questioning in Petrobras corruption case – 2 October 2015
Agence France-Presse – Brazil high court: Lula can be questioned in Petrobras probe – 3 October 2015
Jurist – Brazil ex-president to be questioned in Petrobras case – 3 October 2015
