Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 13 april 2017

Despite graft probe, Brazil leader says govt work must go on

The numbers in Tuesday’s day weekend, Temer main-
decision were staggering: tained a regular schedule
Investigations have been Wednesday as he tried to
opened into 24 senators brush aside the scandal.
— one of whom is a for- “We have to move forward
mer president of Brazil — with government,” he said
39 congressional deputies, during a ceremony to
eight Cabinet ministers and sign a measure promoting
three governors. women’s advancement.
Brazil’s highest court also “If we are not careful, soon
asked lower courts to de- people will say the execu-
cide whether to proceed tive (branch) is not work-
with investigations of 200 ing, the legislative (branch)
other politicians — includ- is not working, the judicial
ing three former presidents. (branch) is not working. It’s
The evidence in the cases not like that.”
comes from plea bargain He did not mention the
testimony by current and scandal explicitly, but
former Odebrecht employ- when asked about it later
ees. by reporters, he replied, “I
Given that nearly a third will let the judiciary work.”
of his Cabinet is affected, Brazil’s attorney general will
there are concerns that the now investigate the accu-
Brazil’s President Michel Temer attends a ceremony at the Planalto presidential palace, in Brasilia, probe could endanger Te- sations and decide wheth-
Brazil, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Brazil’s Supreme Court announced corruption investigations into
eight ministers and dozens more top politicians in a sweeping decision that affects almost one mer’s push for social secu- er the accused should
third of embattled President Michel Temer’s Cabinet and many of his top allies. rity and labor law reforms stand trial. Temer said re-
(AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) he says are critical to restor- cently that any ministers
ing economic growth after standing trial should step
SARAH DiLORENZO been opened into eight of known as Operation Car two years in recession. Te- aside. For now, all have de-
MAURICIO SAVARESE his ministers, both leaders Wash, has already unveiled mer himself was mentioned nied wrongdoing.
Associated Press of Congress and numerous billions of dollars in kick- in some of the judge’s de- But the taint of investiga-
SAO PAULO (AP) — Em- top allies. backs and bribes paid to cisions to open investiga- tion may make life difficult
battled President Michel Brazil’s Supreme Court an- politicians by Brazilian com- tions, but as president, he for the government, espe-
Temer vowed Wednesday nounced late Tuesday that panies, including the con- has temporary immunity for cially since some of those
that Brazil’s government it had opened probes into struction giant Odebrecht. any crimes committed be- under investigation are
would forge ahead with its around 100 top politicians It now threatens to derail fore he took office. While very close to Temer, includ-
work, despite a bombshell as part of the largest cor- Temer’s administration and the announcement Tues- ing the president’s chief of
announcement that cor- ruption scandal in Brazil’s bring Congress to a stand- day night sent lawmakers staff and right-hand man,
ruption investigations have history. The investigation, still. scattering ahead of a holi- Eliseu Padilha. q
Venezuela president heckled as protests spread to slums

HANNAH DREIER but videos circulating on included slums outside of stormed into his neighbor- on the videos of Maduro
Associated Press social media show people Caracas and other cities hood as dawn broke to being harassed at the offi-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) throwing objects at the that had long shunned any reestablish order and stop cial event as evidence he
— Scattered protests flared president’s vehicle and part in the near-daily pro- the looting of local stores. can no longer travel freely
Wednesday in slums that shouting “damn you!” A tests that have embroiled Congressman Daniel Ante- in his own land.
have long been a bulwark witness said people threw middle class neighbor- quera said that a 14-year- “Leave already, Maduro.
of support for Venezuela’s stones, bottles and cold hoods. old boy was killed in pro- Wherever you go here,
socialist leaders only hours water at the president, “People went into the tests Tuesday night in city people hate you,” two-
after a pro-government ral- whose approval ratings streets last night because of Barquisimeto, appar- time presidential candi-
ly degenerated into heck- have dipped below 20 per- we are very upset,” said ently shot by government date Henrique Capriles
ling of President Nicolas cent as the country’s econ- Wilfredo Martinez, who supporters. The boy is the said on Wednesday. The
Maduro. omy has plummeted. lives in the working-class third protester killed in re- episode recalled an inci-
Maduro was attending a Later that night, hundreds Caracas neighborhood of cent days. Officials said dent several months ago
rally in the poor eastern of young men burned trash La Vega. “We’re having a Wednesday they were in which people chased
state of Bolivar Tuesday and clashed with police in terrible time. We can’t find charging two police with Maduro down the street on
night when a crowd turned scattered protests around food and sick people can’t killing a 20-year-old college the resort island of Margar-
on him. The official broad- the economically flailing find medicine.” student earlier in the week. ita, banging pots and pans
cast of the event cut out, country. The unrest notably Dozens of police in riot gear Opposition leaders seized to express their anger.q