Prosecutor General Files Charges Against Former Presidents Lula and Rousseff in Operation Car Wash

09/06/2017 - 10h02

The Prosecutor General's Office (PGR) filed charges against former Brazilian presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, on Tuesday (5).

They are accused of taking part in a criminal organization to embezzle money from oil giant Petrobras.

Charges were also brought against former Ministers of Finance, Antonio Palocci and Guido Mantega; the president of the Workers' Party (PT), senator Gleisi Hoffmann and her husband, former Minister of Communications, Pablo Bernardo; and former Treasurers of the party, João Vaccari and Edinho Silva, current mayor of Araraquara (SP).

The investigation is informally called "Quadrilhão do PT" ("PT's Big Gang"), due to the involvement of members of the party.

"At least since mid-2002 up to May 12, 2016, the defendants structured and were members of a criminal organization which operated during the time Lula and Dilma Rousseff were successively Presidents, to carry out a myriad of crimes, particularly against the public administration in general," wrote Rodrigo Janot.

The defendants were not available for comment.

Translated by ANA BEATRIZ DEMARIA

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	Marlene Bergamo/Folhapress
	Former Brazilian presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff