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Rio de Janeiro — Leaked recordings of heavyweight politicians discussing Brazil’s sprawling kickback scandal have caused more headaches for acting President Michel Temer with a new tape forcing his anti-corruption minister to quit.
Transparency Minister Fabiano Silveira was the second member of the interim administration to leave in only 16 days because of recorded conversations about the investigation into corruption at the state oil company Petrobras and the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.
The new turmoil started when TV Globo broadcast a recording of Silveira giving legal advice to the Senate president, who is under investigation for links to corruption at Petrobras. The recording also shows Silveira criticising the investigation itself, which has implicated some of Brazil’s most prominent politicians and businessmen.
In its report, TV Globo said Silveira had repeatedly contacted investigators in the Petrobras case to seek information on the accusations against Senate chief Renan Calheiros, but he did not succeed in getting any details. The conversation was recorded at Calheiros’ residence some time before the Senate voted to suspend Rousseff pending an impeachment trial and put the government in Temer’s hands.
Brazilian media had said Temer met Cabinet ministers and decided to keep Silveira on the job for now, with Silveira saying he was not involved in any wrongdoing. But later Silveira sent a letter of resignation, saying it was best that he leave the job “despite the fact that nothing is hitting my behaviour.”
Temer did not announce anyone to succeed Silveira, who came under intense criticism from Brazilians and international groups following the TV Globo report. — AP.
derick.khumalo