Rio’s governor “used state helicoptor for family trips to weekend home”

July 11, 2013Brazil Institute Leave a comment

Dom Phillips – The Guardian, 07/10/2013

The governor of Rio de Janeiro state is facing a political storm – and potential prosecution – after it was revealed that he used a state-owned helicopter to fly his children, nannies and even his dog to his weekend mansion.

Sérgio Cabral used the luxury Agusta helicopter – bought for 15m reals (£4.4m) – to send a nanny to pick up some clothes his wife had left behind, according to news weekly Veja.

“We have already carried a hairdresser, a doctor, a surf board, children’s friends,” an unnamed pilot told the newspaper. “It is the helicopter of happiness.”

Brazilian minister answers to corruption allegations

November 18, 2011Brazil Institute Leave a comment

Americas Quarterly Online, 11/18/2011

Carlos Lupi, Brazil’s minister of labor appeared before the Senate yesterday to defend himself against a series of corruption allegations that surfaced earlier this month in an exposé by news magazine Veja. According to reports, advisers to the minister demanded kickbacks on government contracts with nongovernmental groups. Also, reports allege that Lupi accepted travel on an airplane funded by the head of an organization that administers contracts for the Brazilian government.

Lupi fired key advisors to try to move forward from the allegations of wrongdoing. However, members from his Partido Democrático Laborista (PDT) have begun urging him to resign. Lupi’s response has been defiant: “No one can have their honor thrown in the garbage by an anonymous denunciation…I am not involved in any wrongdoing.”

Minister Lupi is the most recent of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s cabinet members to face possible resignation. Since taking office in January, Rousseff has let go several other ministers including Transportation Minister Alfredo Nascimento, Minister of Agriculture Wagner Rossi, Minister of Tourism Pedro Novais, Minister of SportsOrlando Silva, and Minister of Defense, Nelson Jobim.

Brazil labor minister latest to feel scandal heat

November 8, 2011Brazil Institute Leave a comment

Stuart Grudgings – Reuters, 11/07/2011

Brazil’s labor minister came under pressure to quit on Monday after media allegations of corruption put him at risk of becoming the seventh member of President Dilma Rousseff’s Cabinet to fall this year.

Carlos Lupi became the latest minister in the firing line on Saturday when weekly magazine Veja, citing unidentified lawmakers and officials, reported that advisers to the minister had demanded kickbacks on government contracts with nongovernmental groups.

Lupi immediately fired one of the advisers and denied any personal wrongdoing, but he faced further allegations against his ministry in newspapers on Monday and a senator in his own party said the accusations were “grave.”

Minister of Labor reacts to allegations

November 7, 2011Brazil Institute Leave a comment

Brennan Stark – Rio Times, 11/07/2011

O ministro do Trabalho e Emprego, Carlos Lupi (Paulo Liebert / AE)

Brazil’s Minister of Labor Carlos Lupi asked police on Sunday to investigate one of his top advisers on corruption charges. The call follows an article by news magazine Veja regarding allegations that Anderson Alexandre dos Santos demanded payoffs from NGOs with government contracts.

The investigation is the latest in developments set forward by President Rousseff’s suspension of payments on October 31st to all NGOs in Brazil for thirty days while authorities determined whether or not any agencies had violated their contracts or embezzled public funds.

Lupi has stated that anyone found guilty of misappropriation of funding “will be punished in accordance with Brazilian law,” while at the same time denying allegations of bribery against himself.

Brazil’s labor minister asks for corruption probe

November 7, 2011Brazil Institute Leave a comment

AP/CBS News, 11/05/2011

Brazil’s labor minister says he has asked police to investigate allegations one of his top advisers organized a kickback scheme.

The comments by Carlos Lupi follow a report published Saturday by the newsmagazine Veja. It says that Anderson Alexandre dos Santos demanded kickbacks from nongovernment organizations with government contracts. The magazine cited unnamed ministry officials.

Lupi says that anyone who misappropriated public funds “will be punished in accordance to Brazilian law.”

Brazil sports minister Orlando Silva denies corruption

October 18, 2011Brazil Institute 1 Comment

BBC News, 10/18/2011

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva has denied accusations that he was involved in the embezzlement of millions of dollars in public funds.

The influential Brazilian magazine Veja published detailed allegations that he took cash from a scheme to promote sport among poor children.

But Mr Silva has dismissed the report as “farcical” and “false”.

Brazil Sports Minister: next victim of the corruption-exposure campaign?

October 17, 2011October 17, 2011Brazil Institute Leave a comment

Mercopress, 10/17/2011

Orlando Silva and his predecessor both belong to the Communist party.

Brazil’s largest circulation magazine Veja, claimed in its last edition that the Sports Minister Orlando Silva has been involved in corruption actions totalling millions of dollars originally destined to promote sports among children from poor households.

Allegedly the program ‘Second Half’ in the last eight years could have been involved in the deviation of almost the equivalent of 23 million dollars and could include in the scam Orlando Silva’s predecessor in the job, Agnelo Queiroz, currently governor of Brasilia Federal District.

The magazine famous for exposing corruption cases that have knocked out several ministers from the cabinet of President Dilma Rousseff says the source of information is a policeman, Joao Dias Ferrerira, together with Minister Silva, both members of the Communist Party of Brazil, who has been in jail since last year for having pocketed money from a non government organization which received monthly instalments from the Sports Ministry.