A Brazilian congressional committee has absolved Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of direct involvement in a corruption scandal that has plagued the PT (Workers Party – Partido dos Trabalhadores) his party.
The committee’s report was released Wednesday, April 5. It recommends prosecution of more than a dozen people, including bankers and former members of the governing Workers’ Party.
The report will be sent to the federal prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether to pursue charges against them.
The scandal involves accusations that the Workers’ Party paid monthly bribes to legislators to support certain bills in Congress.
Brazil’s president has publicly apologized for the scandal, but denied any involvement. His party blames the crisis on rogue aides.
Several lawmakers have resigned since the scandal surfaced in June.
VoA