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Temer rejects calls for stepping down: “I will not resign. I repeat, I will not resign”

Thursday, May 18th 2017 - 22:22 UTC
Full article 11 comments
“At no time did I authorize the paying of anyone,” Temer said emphatically, raising his voice and pounding his index finger against the podium. “At no time did I authorize the paying of anyone,” Temer said emphatically, raising his voice and pounding his index finger against the podium.
Protests were planned in several cities and opposition politicians took to Twitter and local news channels to call for Temer to be impeached Protests were planned in several cities and opposition politicians took to Twitter and local news channels to call for Temer to be impeached

Brazilian President Michel Temer on Thursday rejected calls for his resignation, saying he will fight allegations that he endorsed the paying of hush money to an ex-lawmaker jailed for corruption. The embattled leader spoke in a national address after Globo newspaper reported Wednesday night that Temer was recorded supporting payments to former Lower House Speaker Eduardo Cunha.

 The incendiary accusation was the latest development in a scandal that has had Latin America's largest nation on edge the last 24 hours with its stock market and currency plunging, and rumors circulating that Temer would step down.

“At no time did I authorize the paying of anyone,” Temer said emphatically, raising his voice and pounding his index finger against the podium. “I did not buy anybody's silence.”
“I will not resign,” he emphasized.

Protests were planned in several cities and opposition politicians took to Twitter and local news channels to call for Temer to be impeached, arguing his government no longer had legitimacy.

“I can't see how Temer survives this,” said David Fleischer, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia. “There are just too many people against him now.”

The ongoing scandal deepened at dawn Thursday as police searched the Rio de Janeiro home and Brasilia office of Sen. Aecio Neves, who nearly won the presidency in 2014 and planned to run again next year.

Neves is being investigated in several corruption cases related to the “Car Wash” probe into kickbacks to politicians. He has denied wrongdoing. The Supreme Federal Tribunal suspended Neves from office indefinitely.

Both chambers of Congress cancelled sessions and Temer's office canceled his planned activities.

Late Wednesday, Globo reported that Neves had been recorded asking JBS meat-packing company executive Joesley Batista for US$700,000 to pay for his “Car Wash” defense.

Globo also reported that Batista had recorded Temer endorsing a bribe to silence Cunha. In a statement late Wednesday, the president's office said Temer did not participate or authorize any attempt to keep Cunha from reaching a plea bargain with Justice (officials).“

If confirmed, the allegations could prove devastating for Temer, whose administration has lurched from one crisis to another since he took office just over a year ago.

Cunha led the impeachment fight that removed Dilma Rousseff from the presidency last year and put Temer, then the vice president, into power. Cunha was later imprisoned on a 15-year sentence for corruption.

The statement from Temer's office confirmed that the president did meet with Batista in March. According to the Globo report, Batista secretly recorded the conversations with Temer and Neves and gave them to justice officials as part of plea bargain negotiations.

The report said that when Temer was told Cunha was being paid to keep silent, the president responded: ”You have to keep that up, all right?”

Categories: Politics, Brazil, Latin America.

Top Comments

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  • :o))

    The REAL Danger: https://i1.wp.com/www.humorpolitico.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Bandidos-governando.jpg?resize=580%2C371

    May 19th, 2017 - 09:18 am 0
  • Jack Bauer

    @Reekie
    ”“Oh, how corrupt is Brazil,” will say Jack B. (Not a word about Temer or the direita Brasileira--no sir).”

    Oh, Reekie, how misinformed you are.....I have already said that I don't think Temer is above suspicion, and if the charges against him are proved, then he should step down....on the other hand, if he decides he won't resign and will fight it, it's his right ....isn't that what Dilma did ? or are you 'lefties' going start off with some nonsense about Temer must be guilty (after an inconclusive recording divulged only yesterday) and still try to maintain that Lula and Dilma must be innocent? well just fyg, in the same plea-bargain by Joesley Batista, that has put Temer in the spotlight, he also said that in 2010, JBS paid US$ 80 million in bribe money to Lula and Dilma - 50 million to Lula and 30 million to Dilma - deposited in two distinct, foreign accounts....so if you believe Joesley's accusations against Temer, then you'll have to admit that Lula and Dilma are the crooks I've always maintained they are.....
    Further, please note that the PMDB is party positioned to the left of centre......no where near the right....can't you tell the difference ?

    May 19th, 2017 - 08:18 pm 0
  • Enrique Massot

    Come on, Jack,
    Give up.
    Temer and company took Dilma down on corruption charges and now their weapon of choice has turned around like a boomerang and hit them on the head.
    Exactly the same will eventually happen in Argentina, where president Macri won the election with the motto ”they (Kirchnerists) stole everything” and is now using the state to get immensely wealthy together with family and friends.
    As I said before, times change and methods change but the goal remains the same: to keep power and wealth in the same few hands--and the populace be damned.

    May 19th, 2017 - 11:01 pm 0
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