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WORLD NEWSFriday 4 December 2015
Brazil: FBI: Puerto Rico
officials accused
Allies of Rousseff go on attack against impeachment over corruption
M. SAVARESE omy. Cunha in the coming decide whether Rousseff SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico
B. BROOKS Brazil is facing its deepest days will give the 29 par- should be permanently re-
Associated Press economic downturn since ties with representatives in moved. (AP) — The FBI on Thursday
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — the Great Depression as the lower house 48 hours Rousseff, who has the low-
President Dilma Rousseff consumer demand and to appoint members to a est poll ratings for a presi- arrested 10 Puerto Rico
launched into a bitter bat-
tle with a fragmented Con- government officials and
gress on Thursday after im-
peachment proceedings businessmen charged with
were introduced against
her in the lower house as bribery and extortion.
Brazil falls deeper into a po-
litical and economic crisis. The suspects are accused
Rousseff’s supporters came
out in force and went on of offering public officials
the attack against House
of Deputies Speaker Edu- items such as expensive
ardo Cunha, who allowed
the impeachment pro- meals, fountain pens and
ceedings to open.
Among her defenders was concert tickets in ex-
former President Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva, Rousseff’s po- change for political favors
litical mentor who hand-se-
lected her to take over for and government con-
him and remains a power-
ful political force. tracts, according to U.S.
“I’m outraged by what
they’re doing to this coun- Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodri-
try,” Silva told reporters on
a visit to Rio de Janeiro. guez.
“The president is making
immeasurable efforts to “Unfortunately, this is one
push through (economic)
reforms. But the speaker more case of graft, greed
of the house has taken the
decision to not care about and corruption that over
Brazil.” Cunha introduced
impeachment proceed- the last 20 years have con-
ings Wednesday evening,
citing a court’s finding that tributed to the government
Rousseff’s administration
violated fiscal responsibility of Puerto Rico’s fragile fi-
laws by using money from
state-run banks to fill bud- nancial condition and on
get gaps and pay for so-
cial programs. the brink of bankruptcy,”
The timing couldn’t be
worse for the leader of Lat- said Carlos Cases, special
in America’s largest econ-
Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva laughs during a press conference, after a agent in charge of the FBI’s
meeting with Rio de Janeiro’s Governor Luiz Pezao, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Dec. 3, San Juan division.
2015. Silva made comments about the impeachment proceedings against fellow Worker’s Party Among the suspects is
member, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. “I’m outraged by what they’re doing to this country,” businessman Anaudi Her-
Silva told reporters. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) nandez, who serves as
commodity prices have special House commission dent since Brazil’s return to the campaign fundraiser
plummeted, and a sprawl- that will debate the im- democracy in 1985, sharply
ing kickback scandal at peachment measure and rejected any wrongdoing. for the governor’s Popular
state-run oil company vote on whether it should “I’ve committed no illicit
Petrobras has cast a pall go before the full house. act. There is no suspicion Democratic Party. Rodri-
over the entire business Analysts said the impeach- hanging over me of any
community and frozen in- ment proceedings will likely misuse of public money,” guez said he is accused of
vestments. make it out of the commis- she said in a national
Rousseff’s Workers’ Party sion, but seem unlikely to broadcast speech late using his connections with
has already lodged three get the needed two-thirds Wednesday.
legal complaints before vote in the full house. Although Rousseff was nar- high-ranking government
the Supreme Court seeking But if impeachment did rowly re-elected last No-
to knock down Cunha’s pass the House, Rousseff vember, her image has suf- officials, including the
move, arguing that he would be temporarily re- fered as a result of the po-
exceeded his powers as moved from office for up litical corruption scandal brother of Gov. Alejandro
house speaker. It’s not to six months, her vice pres- at Petrobras, even though
clear when any ruling from ident would take over, and she has not been accused Garcia Padilla, to appoint
the court might come. the Senate would then of wrongdoing.q
people to certain positions.
Authorities said Hernandez
then allegedly gave them
items of value in exchange
for contracts that would
benefit his corporations,
some of which were cre-
ated during the November
2012 elections. Hernandez
is accused of obtaining
El Salvador: benefits from the island’s
Judge orders ex-president to trial for corruption water and sewer company
and Puerto Rico’s House of
Representatives, among
others.
SAN SALVADOR, El Sal- ceedings will be open to tion. He has not said who The Prosecutor General’s Rodriguez said Hernandez
vador (AP) — A Salva- the public. received the money. Pros- Office didn’t ask that
doran judge on Thursday The 56-year-old Flores has ecutors charge that some Flores be jailed during the and other suspects often
ordered former President been under house arrest went to El Salvador’s main proceedings.
Francisco Flores to stand since November 2014 on conservative party, the The investigation began provided substandard
trial for allegedly diverting charges of embezzlement Republican National Alli- with a U.S. Treasury Depart-
$15 million in donations and illegal enrichment in- ance. ment suspicious activities work after obtaining the
for earthquake victims to volving funds Taiwan do- Flores also faces charges report that was revealed
his personal and political nated to support earth- of disobedience for failing by former President Mauri- contracts.
party accounts during his quake victims in 2001. to report to an appoint- cio Funes of the Farbundo
term from 1999 and 2004. The former president has ment with the special Marti National Liberation Osvaldo Carlo, Hernan-
Flores is the first recent said he gave the money committee of the Legis- Front. He left office in 2014.
Salvadoran ex-president to the proper recipients, lative Assembly that was Flores is the second for- dez’s attorney, told WAPA
to be tried on corruption but there was no record investigating what hap- mer president in Central
charges. Judge Miguel in the treasury because pened to the Taiwanese America to face corrup- TV that his client has done
Angel Garcia said the pro- it was a personal dona- millions. tion charges.q
nothing illegal.
Other suspects include
high-level officials at the
water and sewer compa-
ny and employees with the
House of Representatives.
Rodriguez said that more
arrests are expected.q
