Former Lula and Dilma Minister Reaches Plea Bargain Agreement with Investigators

04/27/2018 - 11h39

The Federal Police in Parana reached a plea bargain agreement with former minister Antonio Palocci, the right hand man to presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) and Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016) in terms of their economic and political agendas.

Mr Palocci, who, as a result of Operation Lava Jato, has been in pre-trial detention since September 2016, had tried to reach an agreement previously with investigators, but hadn't succeeded.

The agreement must still be validated by the Justice system in order to stand.

Folha managed to confirm this information on Thursday (the 26th).

There is an ongoing dispute between the Federal Police and the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office concerning which of the two agencies has the jurisdiction to offer plea bargain agreements.

	Lula Marques - 26.mai.2011/Folhapress
	Antonio Palocci and former president Dilma Rousseff during a meeting at the Planalto Palace (BRAZIL, 05-26-2011)

The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the matter.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) believes that it has the jurisdiction to carry out such agreements, but so does the Federal Police (PF).

Mr. Palocci was convicted by judge Sergio Moro in June, 2017, and sentenced to 12 years in prison for money laundering and corruption in connection with public contracts with construction firm Odebrecht and the construction of the Sete Brasil oil rig and the Enseada do Paraguaçu shipyard.

Months earlier, In a testimony given to judge Sergio Moro, Mr. Palocci maintained that Lula had agreed to a "blood pact" in which construction firm Odebrecht had pledged to pay R$ 300 million (US$ 86 million) in bribes to the Workers' Party (PT) toward the end of Lula's administration and in the beginning of the Dilma administration.

Translated by THOMAS MATHEWSON

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