Brazil’s PT Reacts to Lula Investigation Announcement, Calls Proceedings “Absurd”

On January 10, 2013, O Estado de São Paulo reported that the Brazilian Workers’ Party (PT) reacted strongly to announcements that federal prosecutors will pursue information connecting ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to the federal Mensalão scandal.  Marco Maia (PT), leader of Brazil’s federal lower house, the Câmara dos Deputados, dismissed the testimony of Marcos Valério Fernandes de Sousa, convicted entrepreneur who said he paid some of Lula’s expenses during Lula’s presidency.  Maia pointed to the exhaustiveness of the investigation before other PT members were convicted in late 2012, and that any reopening of the case would be to no benefit of federal prosecutors.  Read Article