Page 11 - ATODAY

WORLD NEWS A11
Wednesday 9 March 2016

Brazil’s Marcelo Odebrecht sentenced to more than 19 years

years and four months im- fields and creating wealth Marcio Faria and Rogerio
prisonment on charges of Santos, former executives
corruption, money laun- that leaders expected at the builder,
dering and for belonging were also sentenced to 19
to a criminal organization. would propel the country years and four months in
Odebrecht is the high- jail, according to the state-
est profile executive to be to developed-world status. ment.
convicted in the so-called Meanwhile, in a separate
“Operation Car Wash” in- Odebrecht’s attorney case, former Sen. Luiz Este-
vestigations. He is one of vao turned himself Tuesday
the central private sector Nabor Bulhoes said in an to begin serving a more
figures in what prosecutors than 20-year sentence for
have called a criminal or- emailed statement that misappropriating up to
ganization. $100 million in government
Prosecutors have said the the sentence against his funds during construction
overall scheme involved of a federal courthouse in
more than $2 billion in client was “unfair and un- the early 1990s.
bribes paid to obtain Petro- Estevao was convicted
bras contracts, with some just because none of the in 2006, but managed to
money making its way to avoid imprisonment by fil-
political parties, including evidence produced backs ing several appeals. The
the governing Workers’ appeal process ran its
Party. it.” course and federal judge
Some of Brazil’s wealthiest Alesssandro Diaferia or-
people have been caught “None of the documents dered his arrest on Mon-
up in the probe, as have day.
dozens of politicians from produced so far links Mar-
both the governing coali-
tion and the opposition. celo Odebrecht to any
Petrobras is Brazil’s biggest
A demonstrator with a Brazilian flag and a T-shirt with text writ- company and is in charge illicit act being investigat-
ten in Portuguese that reads “Dilma Out” takes part in protest of tapping big offshore oil
in front of the Planalto Presidential palace, in Brasilia, Brazil. A ed,” Bulhoes said, adding
federal judge on Tuesday sentenced the former president of the
country’s largest construction company to more than 19 years he would appeal the sen-
in prison for involvement in the massive corruption scheme at
Brazil’s state-run oil company Petrobras. tence.

(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) Odebrecht and other ex-

ecutives from other con-

struction companies were

arrested last year as part

of the investigation into

STAN LEHMAN prison for involvement in the corruption scheme at
Associated Press the massive corruption
SAO PAULO (AP) — A fed- scheme at Brazil’s state-run Petrobras.
eral judge on Tuesday sen- oil company Petrobras.
tenced the former presi- Judge Sergio Moro, who
dent of the country’s larg- is heading the Petrobras
est construction company investigation, sentenced
to more than 19 years in Marcelo Odebrecht to 19

Venezuela:

Congress takes up case of missing miners

HANNAH DREIER agents might have been we know everything about
Associated Press involved in the disappear- incident, which is abhor-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ances. rent to all Venezuelans.”
— Opposition politicians on Families and people who Bolivar state Gov. Francis-
Tuesday demanded Ven- said they witnessed the at- co Rangel, a staunch ally
ezuela’s government do tack accused law enforce- of Venezuela’s governing
more to determine what ment agents of participat- socialist administration, has
happened to a group of ing. Lawmaker Americo de said there is still no proof a
missing miners allegedly Grazia said that given the massacre occurred.
killed by gang members. number of missing miners, Local media quoted peo-
More than 1,000 soldiers the reported atrocity could ple involved with the case
fanned out across the have taken place only with as saying they feared for
southeastern jungle state the complicity of local of- their safety, pointing to the
of Bolivar to search for the ficials. military taking control of
28 miners who relatives say Defense Minister Vladi- their small town and voic-
were dismembered and mir Padrino Lopez denied ing concerns that gang
disappeared by a gang these claims. members might be seeking
seeking to take over a dis- “We know very well who is to quiet them.
puted gold claim. behind these accusations, The public prosecutor’s of-
The country’s opposi- and we won’t fall for the fice is investigating, and
tion-controlled Congress provocations of the old has taken protective mea-
planned to discuss later political establishment,” he sures for two miners’ rela-
Tuesday whether state said. “We won’t rest until tives.