Brazil Justice Minister: gov't does not fear investigations

This Tuesday (Jun. 28), Justice Minister Alexandre de Moraes denied, in São Paulo, that the federal government is concerned about a possible plea bargain made by ousted lower house Speaker Eduardo Cunha, with whom interim President Michel Temer met on Sunday evening (26). According to the minister, the government does not fear any investigation.

"President Temer's government fears no investigation. Since I swore in, on May 12, this position was evidenced by the president's order and recommendation, which was to give full support to the Federal Police and to check what it lacked in human resources, to act in support and integration with the state police, so that any kind of deep probe would be possible," the minister told reporters.

Commenting on Operation Brazil Cost, launched last week in São Paulo, a spinoff from Operation Car Wash (investigating corruption schemes in Petrobras), Moraes said the ideal would be to have Brazil Cost focused in Curitiba, where the probes under Operation Car Wash are being conducted, to help investigators carry out their work.

According to the minister, the spinoff requires the appointment of another prosecutor judge, in addition to other measures. "But all the cases related to Car Wash, previous facts and also those collected in the future, will be probed in Curitiba," said Moraes.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta