Brazilian President Accused of Corruption

Brazilian President, Michel Temer, has been formally accused of corruption, by Attorney General Rodrigo Janot.

Janot opened a criminal investigation against the 76-year-old president last month on charges of corruption, being part of a criminal organisation, and obstruction of justice.

Temer is accused of accepting millions of dollars worth of bribes from meat packing company, JBS.

Prosecutors are alleging that Temer received money from JBS in exchange for freeing up loans to the company by state-run banks and helping the firm to evade tax payments.

Janot said that the prosecution has ‘abundant proof’ that Temer was making arrangements to receive bribes from the meat packing firm. One piece of evidence includes a recording of a conversation between Temer and former JBS Chairman, Joesley Batista, where the president endorses hush money to former Brazilian House Speaker, Eduardo Cunha.

Cunha is a former ally of Temer, but is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence for corruption.

A Supreme Court judge will decide if Janot’s case against Temer will be sent to the Chamber of Deputies in Congress, where the parliamentary leaders will decide whether the case has merit or not.

If the case achieves a two-thirds majority vote, it will go to trial. However, the majority of parliament are said to be supporters of Temer.

President Temer has denied any form of wrongdoing and his office has declined to formally comment on the charges brought against him by Janot.

Temer was sworn in as president in September of last year, after former Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached and removed from office, after being convicted of illegally using money from state banks.