MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

A brother of Brazilian president accused of influence peddling

Genival Inacio “Vava” da Silva

Brazilian police have formally accused a brother of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of influence peddling after a nationwide crackdown on illegal gambling, money laundering and police corruption according to the Sao Paulo press.

Genival Inacio da Silva's home in the San Bernardo do Campo suburb was searched this week by authorities as part of a federal police operation (Check Mate) that arrested 87 people on charges of smuggling electronic gambling machines and bribing police in Mato Grosso do Sul state. Police did not say what was seized in Silva's brother's home or elaborate on the motives for the accusation, the official Agencia Brasil said. President Lula da Silva denied his brother, known as Vava, is linked to illegal gambling and said he is innocent, said Agencia Brasil. "I don't believe that Vava has anything to do with anything" Silva said in a statement from India, where he was on an official visit earlier this week. But, he added, "If there is a court order and his name is on it, have patience, we are all subject to investigation". In private the Brazilian president was quoted saying he doubted very much his brother had the "brains" for such a sophisticated operation. Vava's son, Edson Inacio da Silva, told Globo TV that his father would not comment on the search, and that authorities only removed two papers, which he said were unimportant. However according to police sources Lula da Silva's brother was involved in setting up meetings between government officials and interested parties. Apparently this was what appeared on phone calls taped by the police investigation. Some of Vava "clients" are linked to the electronic gambling machines business and apparently paid a fee ranging between 1.500 and 2.000 US dollars for appointments with government officials. However Vava made it clear he had no responsibility in the outcome of the meetings. Influence peddling in Brazil is not a crime that entails jail. In one of the tapes Vava is caught talking with Nilton Cesar Servo an illegal gambling czar for whom the Check Mate operation was set up, but apparently the president's brother was unable to obtain licences for the electronic gambling machines or impede their confiscation. In Brazil electronic gambling machines and bingos are granted precarious licences because they are known to be used for laundering corruption money from government officials and police racketeering. But not only his eldest brother Vava was in trouble, a man very close to the Lula da Silva family, Dario Morelli, was arrested on corruption charges and suspended from his job in the city of Diadema's sanitation department. President Lula da Silva confirmed that Dario Morelli Filho â€" is a friend of the family.