MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Playboy photos reveal latest Brazilian political scandal

I took the money, cash, on time and that's it”, said Monica.

A beautiful journalist at the heart of one of the latest Brazilian Congress scandals has hit the cover of the Brazil edition of Playboy and become an instant sales success.

Monica Veloso is pictured in a full colors photo session of the magazine with nothing on but her half tiny bikini and in a long interview explains her relation with former lover and powerful Senate president Renan Calheiros. The Senator and close ally of President Lula da Silva allegedly paid for the pension of their daughter through a public works government contractor. He faces corruption charges although under strong lobbying from the Lula da Silva administration has so far managed to overcome the first challenges. Senator Calheiros is charged with receiving money from private construction companies benefited with government contracts and bids, although according to Monica her lover never revealed to her the origin of the money to pay for the upkeep of their child. "Renan never said the money was his", said Monica who underlines that payments were always done through a public relations official from the Mendes Junior construction company, Claudio Contijo, who happens to be a very close friend of the 51 year old Senator. Calheiros is a leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, PMDB, the coalition partner in Congress and cabinet of Lula da Silva's Workers Party. As president of the Senator he holds a vital post since under Brazilian rules he decides on the legislature's agenda. "I simply received the pension and it didn't make sense to ask where the money came from. It seems important now because of all the noise, but not for me. I took the money, cash, on time and that's it", said Monica. However the 38 year old journalist assures Calheiros never told her the money he gave her for their child came from his personal savings as the legislator declared before the full Upper House.