Presidency evaluates prison of government's leader in Senate
Palácio do Planalto
The arrest of Senator Delcídio Amaral, member of the Workers' Party (PT) and ruling party leader in Senate, came as a surprise to the presidency. Chief of Staff Jaques Wagner, head of the Communications Secretariat of the Presidency, Edinho Silva, and head of the Government Secretariat, Ricardo Berzoini, held a meeting to evaluate the prison and discuss a possible statement to announce a new government's leader in Senate.
Amaral was arrested this morning (Nov. 25) by the Federal Police at the hotel where he lived in Brasília. The prison was authorized by Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavaski, responsible for examining the charges of Operation Car Wash at the Supreme Court. And it was then unanimously approved by Supreme Court ministers. According to the minister, there was no other way to protect the investigations, since, as reported by the Public Prosecution Office, Amaral would be pressing former Petrobras International Director Nestor Cerveró to reject the plea bargain made as part of Operation Car Wash investigations.
According to the federal police, some audio transcripts are in the hands of authorities. They offer evidences of the senator offering money to Nestor Cerveró's family.
Senators baffled
Senators of PT's bench and some leaders of governing coalition in the Senate held a meeting to discuss the government leader's situation.
"We are all baffled. It is a total embarrassment," said Senator Paulo Paim, also a member of the PT, attending the meeting.
In a statement, Upper House Speaker Senator Renan Calheiros (member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party), says he was informed about the Supreme Court ruling early in the morning by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot.
Senate's plenary session—attended by a majority of senators (41 votes)— will vote on the validity of Senator Amaral's prison. The Office of the Senate Secretary reported that since it is an unprecedented case—a senator has never been arrested during a term of office—, the upper house speaker will be responsible for deciding the proceedings.
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Presidency evaluates prison of government's leader in Senate
