Opposition to use new police operation to spark impeachment debate

Opposition parties have added to the agenda for their Tuesday (Feb. 23) meeting the developments of the 23rd stage of Operation Car Wash, dubbed Acarajé, launched Monday (22) by the Federal Police. The new phase of the crackdown saw eight arrest warrants issued, among them that of adman João Santana and his wife Mônica Moura. The couple is currently in the Dominican Republic. The police is investigating illicit transfers to his accounts abroad.

Opposition congressmen want to use the new probes to further press for Dilma Rousseff's impeachment. DEM (Democrats) lower house leader Deputy Pauderney Avelino noted that the Superior Electoral Court (TSE in the original acronym) are still auditing the accounts of Rousseff and Michel Temer's ticket. “Chances are this ticket will be revoked of its license. This operation will lead to more evidence showing that black money was used in Rousseff's campaign,” Avelino said.

“This operation shows that the PT [Workers' Party] has repeatedly resorted to this practice, as was the case in Lula's election, with Duda Mendonça, who, in 2005 took part in the [Congressional Committee of Investigation] on the Mensalão case, confessing he had received slush funds abroad. It went on, in both Lula's re-election and President Rousseff's election and re-election bids,” he argued.

The new stage of Operation Car Wash probes into the links between adman João Santana and construction company Odebrecht, which reportedly made transfers to his accounts overseas. According to Police Commissioner Filipe Pace, payments are suspected of being illegal. João Santana spearheaded Rousseff's electoral campaigns in both 2010 and 2014, and ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's re-election campaign, in 2006.

The government's second-in-command in Chamber of Deputies, Silvio Costa (of the PTdoB, or Labor Party of Brazil), described the opposition's attempt to rekindle the impeachment debate as “just more foam.” “This has nothing to do with President Rousseff. I challenge any Brazilian to show a registered phone call where Rousseff's asking for money for her campaign. The president was not in charge of the finances in her campaign. Every electoral committee has its treasurer,” he said.

In Costa's view, the opposition must be cautions when dispensing judgment towards other people sent to jail. “João Santana has the burden of proof on his side. He obviously received funds for the campaign. He was her marketing man,” he stated.

Agência Brasil was unable to reach other PT and government leaders in Congress. The press office of the Chief of Staff's Office declared they will not comment on the matter.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira