Judge Blocks Appointment of Investigated in Lava Jato as Minister and the Federal Government Overturns the Veto

02/09/2017 - 12h09

The judge of the 14th Federal Court of the Federal District, Eduardo Rocha Penteado, suspended President Michel Temer's (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party) action that had bestowed the status of minister on his party-colleague Moreira Franco last week. However, on Thursday (9), the Federal Government (Federal Regional Court) overturned the veto.

With the nomination to General Secretary of the Presidency, Moreira Franco was automatically granted immunity three days after the ratification of the Odebrecht plea bargain agreements. He was cited 34 times in the testimony given by former executive Cláudio Melo Filho.

The PMDB leader is accused of having received money in exchange for defending the interests of the construction company. Morreira Franco denies the accusations made by the plea bargainer.

According to the Judge, the case is similar to the one in which former president Lula was nominated by Dilma Rousseff for a ministry in 2016, and which was suspended by the Federal Supreme Court (STF).

For the Judge, both actions were an attempt to seek protection from the so-called Car Wash investigation. The Federal Prosecutor General, Grace Mendonça, denies this. She argues that, unlike the case of Lula, Moreira Franco was already a part of the Government and that there is no recording that reveals an intent to protect him.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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