Eighth Brazilian minister resigns amid allegations of corruption

Thursday, February 2nd 2012 - 22:39 UTC

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Mario Negromonte steps down but his party retains the ministry

Brazil’s minister of cities resigned Thursday amid allegations of irregularities, the eighth member of President Dilma Rousseff’s cabinet to step down since June.

Rousseff accepted Mario Negromonte’s resignation and wished him luck in his new projects, the office of the presidency said in a brief statement.

Aguinaldo Ribeiro, also of Negromonte’s Progressive Party, was named to replace him. The Progressive Party is part of the governing coalition. The Cities Ministry coordinates urban development policies in a country where more than 80% of the population live in cities.

Negromonte is accused of awarding public work contracts to companies that had financed his party. He denies all accusations and said his resignation in no way indicated he was guilty.

Since Rousseff assumed office on Jan. 1, 2011, the ministers of cities, defense, transportation, agriculture, tourism, sports and labor have stepped down.

The president’s chief-of-staff, also a Cabinet member, resigned amid questions over how his personal wealth soared while he was a legislator in 2006-10.

Former Defense Minister Nelson Jobim was forced to resign in August after saying he was surrounded by “idiots” and insulting other ministers.

Rousseff, however, has managed to remain above the scandals, enjoying a high popularity rating among Brazilians. Some have commended Brazil’s first female president for taking action against ministers facing corruption allegations.

Categories: Politics, Brazil.

Tags: Aguinaldo Ribeiro, Brazil, corruption, Dilma Rousseff, Mario Negromonte.

Top Comments

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BenC30
South America really does still have some corruption issues! Though are any of us really surprised.

But then they get paranoid over all sorts of things like this headline from the Daily Mail in December 2011:
U.S. is giving South American leaders cancer, claims Chavez as Argentine president de Kirchner becomes FIFTH to contract disease.
Feb 02nd, 2012 - 11:59 pm 0
tobias
Nah, the difference is South Americans admit we are corrupt. Europeans simply deny it. And the results have been exposed to the world to see in the last 4 years. House of cards.
Feb 03rd, 2012 - 01:44 am 0
Fido Dido
“Nah, the difference is South Americans admit we are corrupt. Europeans simply deny it.”

Yes, absolutely correct.
Feb 03rd, 2012 - 01:52 am 0

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