Temer clings to power after vote

BRASILIA - Brazilian President Michel Temer will hold on to power as the Chamber of Deputies voted to reject corruption charges against him on Wednesday.

The lawsuit filed against the president by Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot has been dropped with 263 votes against 227 to dismiss the charges.

The case began in May, when Joesley Batista, the owner of Brazilian meatpacker JBS, confessed that he had paid bribes to the president. He also turned over an audio recording in which Temer can seemingly be heard signing off on bribes for public officials.

Temer's special adviser, Rodrigo Loures, was also caught on film receiving $160,000 in a suitcase allegedly destined for the president.

Janot then charged Temer with bribe-taking on June 26, the first such charge against a sitting president in Brazil's history.

On Wednesday, the vote was delayed after Temer's supporters and opponents in the Chamber clashed at the scene. At the time, there were also protesters yelling "Temer out" outside the Congress.

Paulo Abi-Ackel, the Chamber's rapporteur on the case, said the rejection does not presume a shield for the president against any future legal issue.

However, according to Brazilian law, the result means Temer cannot be prosecuted on these corruption allegations again during his term in office.

While many people were not convinced of the decision, the president celebrated his victory to remain in power on Wednesday.

In a statement following the House session, Temer said that the Parliament's decision is not a victory for any individual, but for Brazil as a democracy, adding that the country should "take down the walls" separating the people.

Nevertheless, Brazil's political torments may not have come to an end. Janot said he will file two more suits against Temer, in which he is suspected of obstruction of justice and criminal organization.

Janot also asked the Supreme Court to include Temer in the investigation into a conspiracy-based bribery by his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party leadership.

Therefore, Temer is still being investigated, in a process which involves JBS and Batista, who exchanged evidence for leniency.

If the Chief Prosecution Office decides to bring more charges against Temer, he will have to take the same old road once more. Hence it remains to be seen whether Wednesday's victory will last till the end of his term in December next year.

Xinhua

(China Daily 08/04/2017 page11)