Moments ago, Brazil's O Globo newspaper reported that the latest episode in Brazil's epic political corruption saga has been unveiled, and two things emerged. First, president Temer is under now officially under investigation for corruption and obstruction of justice.
Second, and more important, the contents of the JBS plea bargain testimony were disclosed, courtesy of Reuters, and they reveal corruption so pervasive that virtually every single current and past top politician has been implicated. Here are the details:
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY INDICATES BRAZIL PRESIDENT TEMER ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED 15 MILLION REAIS IN BRIBE IN 2014
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY SAYS COMPANY PAID BRIBE TO TEMER TO END PETROBRAS MONOPOLY ON NATURAL GAS
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY SAYS EX PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA RECEIVED $50 MILLION IN BRIBES IN OFFSHORE ACCOUNT
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY SAYS EX PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFF RECEIVED $30 MILLION IN BRIBES IN OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY INDICATES JOESLEY BATISTA PAID 30 MILLION REAIS FOR EX PRESIDENT DILMA ROUSSEFF'S 2010 CAMPAIGN
- JBS PLEA-BARGAIN TESTIMONY SAYS PAID SUSPENDED SENATOR, EX PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AECIO NEVES BRIBE IN 2014 TO FAVOR COMPANY
- BRAZIL PROSECUTORS SAY JOESLEY BATISTA'S TESTIMONY INDICATES HE PAID EX HOUSE SPEAKER CUNHA MONTHLY BRIBES WITH TEMER'S BLESSING
Brazil's Supreme Court released plea-bargain testimony on Friday that includes accusations President Michel Temer received 15 million reais ($4.6 million) in bribes in 2014 before he took office from executives of meatpacking giant JBS SA.If true, the plea testimony implicates virtually all top Brazilian politicians - from both the current and previous administrations - who have now been thrown under the bus for corruption and bribery, which while no longer surprising in all matters Brazilian, prompt one to ask: is there any politician left in Brazil who is clean "enough" to take over the presidency without fears of compromising recordings emerging just months if not weeks later, resulting in another political scandal and more chaos in the biggest Latin American nation.
The testimony also claims former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received $50 million in bribes in offshore accounts from JBS, while ex-President Dilma Rousseff took $30 million in bribes in offshore accounts.
Comment: With this release, expect more of this: Clashes in Brazil as hundreds descend on President Temer's HQ demanding impeachment