Delcídio do Amaral: Aécio Neves took bribes from corruption scheme in Furnas

Neves, who is also senator and was the presidential candidate of

Published on 15/03/2016 - 20:07 By Michèlle Canes and Pedro Peduzzi report from Agência Brasil - Brasília

 Senador Delcídio do Amaral quando presidia a CMPI dos Correiso, em 2005

In 2005, Delcídio do Amaral as chairman of the Congressional Committee of Inquiry probing the Brazilian Postal Service bribery scheme Walter Campanato/Agência Brasil

Senator Delcídio do Amaral declared—under a plea bargain deal agreement accepted by Justice Teori Zavascki of the Federal Supreme Court—that Senator Aécio Neves, member of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), would have taken bribes by the so-called Furnas List—corruption and money laundering scheme—by which state-run Furnas Centrais Elétrícas have fueled the political campaign of the PSDB and the PFL (currently called Democratas party) in the 2002 elections.

In the plea bargain document, released Tuesday (Mar. 15) by the Supreme Court (STF), Delcídio said the company's situation would have led President Dilma Rousseff to intervene in Furnas company "to cease illegal practices." According to the senator, changes made by the president, who dismissed from the company directors allied to Deputy Eduardo Cunha (currently the lower house speaker), would have provoked the confrontation between Rousseff and Cunha. In his testimony, Amaral says that the companies involved in Furnas corruption scheme are the same probed under Petrobras investigations: Andrade Gutierrez, Camargo Correa, and Odebrecht.

 Brasília - O senador Aécio Neves fala com a imprensa antes de reunião da oposição no Senado (Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/Agência Brasil)

Senator Aécio Neves said that Delcídio do Amaral's claims are "lies, cut off reality, and refer only to information heard from others." Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/Agência Brasil

Aécio Neves

In a statement issued Tuesday (Mar. 15) afternoon, Senator Aécio Neves said that Delcídio do Amaral's claims are "lies, cut off reality, and refer only to information heard from others."

"Delcídio repeats what the Workers' Party (PT) has disseminated for years trying to make false allegations involving names of the opposition."

Neves also denied to have discussed with Delcídio do Amaral any matter related to Banco Rural in the context of the Congressional Committee of Inquiry probing the Brazilian Postal Service bribery scheme in 2005 that ended up revealing the monthly payment scheme, dubbed “Mensalão”.

In the note, the senator, who is also the PSDB national president, said it is easy to show that the party has not interfered in the committee's investigation of the post office in order to protect anyone. "On the contrary, the PSDB position can be proven to be in favor of deepening the investigation of all the allegations made during the Committee's work, including those involving names of the party's members," concluded the note.

According to the Senate press office, Delcídio has also not spoken the truth when he said he had gone to the state of Minas Gerais to discuss matters related to the committee with Aécio Neves.


Translated by Amarílis Anchieta


Fonte: Delcídio do Amaral: Aécio Neves took bribes from corruption scheme in Furnas

Edition: Olga Bardawil

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