UPDATE 3-Brazil's anti-corruption minister quits over leaked recordings
Tue May 31, 2016 5:22am IST
Related: Regulatory News
UPDATE 3-Brazil's anti-corruption minister quits over leaked recordings
By Anthony Boadle and Lisandra Paraguassu
May 30 Brazil's Transparency Minister Fabiano Silveira resigned on Monday after leaked recordings suggested he tried to derail a sprawling corruption probe, the latest cabinet casualty impacting interim President Michel Temer's administration.
Silveira, the man Temer tasked with fighting corruption since he took office on May 12, announced his plans to step down in a letter, according to the presidential palace's media office. No replacement for Silveira has yet been named.
Silveira and Senate President Renan Calheiros became the latest officials ensnared by leaked recordings secretly made by a former oil industry executive as part of a plea bargain. The same tapes led to the resignation last week of Romero Jucá, whom Temer had named as planning minister.
Jucá's resignation dealt a blow to Temer's efforts to build a stable government in the wake of the May 12 suspension of leftist President Dilma Rousseff.
More:
http://in.reuters.com/article/brazil-corruption-idINL1N18R0FX
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141471428
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Second minister in new Brazil government quits
5 hours ago
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Mr Silveira was named anti-corruption minister by Mr Temer
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Leaked recordings made by former Senator Sergio Machado appear to back Ms Rousseff's allegation.
Mr Machado, who used to run a Petrobras-owned logistics company, recorded the conversations as part of a plea deal with Operation Car Wash prosecutors.
In the latest recording to be broadcast on TV, Mr Silveira can be heard criticising the prosecutors saying they were "totally lost". He also seems to advise Senate Speaker Renan Calheiros and Mr Machado on how best to defend themselves from Operation Car Wash.
The recording was made three months before Mr Silveira became anti-corruption minister.
More:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36414882
