There was indeed a vote buying scheme in the Brazilian Congress where the federal government paid members to support its legislative projects, according to the final finding of a congressional inquiry.
The scheme is known in Portuguese as the "mensalão" or "Big Monthly Allowance," that was paid to some members of Congress so they would vote with the government.
That was the final conclusion reached by deputy Osmar Serraglio (Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, state of Paraná), the redactor (relator) of the final report of the Post Office Parliamentary Investigative Commission (CPMI)
"The CPMI clearly proved that there was a co-optive scheme of illicit political support," says the report.
Serraglio rebutted the defense used by those accused of being part of the co-optive scheme (especially former PT treasurer, Delúbio Soares), saying that there was no proof that money distributed by adman Marcos Valério was actually used in another illegal scheme to pay campaign debts.
Serraglio called the campaign debt explanation "An attempt to explain the unexplainable." He pointed out that no one has been able to present proof of debt payments (for example, receipts) made with Marcos Valério money.
ABr