Charges against Temer read out loud at lower house session

The statement announcing that the passive corruption charges against President Michel Temer have reached the Supreme Court was read out loud during a Thursday floor session at the Brazilian lower house, the Chamber of Deputies.

Temer has been accused by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot of having benefited from his position as head of the Executive branch and pocketed $152 thousand in bribes through former adviser Rodrigo Rocha Loures. The amount is believed to have been offered by executive Joesley Batista, owner of meatpacking giant JBS, under investigation as part of Operation Car Wash.

The president's defense argues that the evidence in the allegation is not concrete and denies any wrongdoing. In an official pronouncement made Tuesday (Jun 28), Temer described the allegations as “a piece of fiction” and questioned Janot's work.

Proceedings

The charges were accepted early on Thursday morning by the Supreme Court. The president was e notified and should present his defense.

Next, the case is to be submitted to the Commission for Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship (CCJ), which will name a rapporteur, a member of congress in charge of putting together a report to be brought under deliberation by their fellow commission members. Temer will be allowed to present a defense in ten days before the members of this commission.

After a decision is made by the CCJ, the charges must be reviewed by the Chamber of Deputies, and have to get 342 favorable votes (two thirds of the 513 lower house representatives) to be accepted. If this is the case, Temer may be brought before trial at the Supreme Court.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira