Page 11 - ATD09APRIL2016

WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 9 April 2016

Brazil’s AG says Silva should be barred from Cabinet

An opposition deputy holds up an inflatable doll of former Presi- a move widely seen as an ment in Sao Paulo state the name of Silva’s wife
dent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in prison garb, during the Parlia- attempt to help shield him and another project at a written on them. Two sus-
mentary Commission examining the request for impeachment from potential detention country house used by Silva pects were arrested while
of Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff, in Brasilia, Brazil. as part of the Petrobras and his family constituted they were hiding the stolen
probe. As a Cabinet minis- favors in exchange for po- goods in a wooded area.
(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) ter, Silva can only be pros- litical benefit. Janot made his recom-
ecuted with the approval Both residences have un- mendations to the Su-
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Rodrigo Janot’s recom- of the Supreme Court. dergone major renovations preme Court just days
attorney general has rec- mendation on Thursday Supreme Court Justice Gil- paid for by construction before the lower house
ommended that the Su- reversed an earlier opin- mar Mendes temporarily companies that for de- of congress is to vote on
preme Court block former ion he expressed a few blocked his appointment, cades have had contracts whether to impeach Rous-
President Luiz Inacio Lula da weeks ago when he said saying it was aimed at with the federal govern- seff on charges of manipu-
Silva from becoming chief that Silva’s appointment helping Silva get around his ment. Those enterprises lating budget accounts to
of staff to President Dilma was legitimate. He said he legal woes. The full court is are also at the center of allow her administration to
Rousseff, saying it would changed his mind after an- to rule on April 20 whether the scandal gripping Petro- boost spending to shore up
disrupt investigations into other examination of the to uphold Mendes’ injunc- bras, in which prosecutors votes before her 2014 re-
the corruption-kickback case. tion. allege $2 billion was paid in election campaign.
scheme at state-owned oil Rousseff appointed Silva Janot said there was a “de- bribes to obtain contracts. She has vehemently denied
company Petrobras. to her Cabinet in March in viation of purpose” in Silva’s Police said that two rob- committing any crime and
appointment which would bers broke into the country said previous presidents
“disrupt the progress of the house located in the rural made use of similar ac-
criminal investigation.” city of Atibaia on Thursday counting techniques. She
Prosecutors are investigat- and made off with a box of has called the impeach-
ing if renovations made at Cuban cigars, a television ment effort an attempted
a luxury beachfront apart- set and jars of cream with coup.

Guatemala bank raids, probe
target Venezuelan’s account

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) Guatemalan prosecutors
— Guatemalan prosecu- said the case is not related
tors raided the offices of a to this week’s “Panama Pa-
bank and froze some $20 pers” leak of documents
million worth of assets on related to offshore hold-
Friday as part of a money- ings.
laundering probe involving Judge Marco Villeda told
an account in the name of The Associated Press that
a Venezuelan national. the complaint presented
The search at Banco de by prosecutors was based
los Trabajadores targeted on “strong indications that
documents related to the the money could have
account of Hidalgo Rafael come from illicit acts.”
Socorro Urdaneta, a Ven- Banco de los Trabajadores
ezuelan said to be the le- said in a news release
gal representative of DHK that it respects Guatema-
Finance INC Panama. The lan law and will cooper-
firm was established in Oc- ate with authorities in any
tober 2011 in Panama City. investigation.q