MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Opposition call for disclosure of twenty-fold increase in Brazil’s chief of staff assets
Revelations of a several times surge in the personal wealth of Brazilian government's influential chief of staff have triggered controversy and could drag on and become a major headache for President Dilma Rousseff. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesPalocci is that sole pillar of neoliberalism in the Dilma administration. If he steps down, economic administration will be left at the hands of the leftist, keynesian Mantega team. I do hope that he steps down, and that Dilma replaces him with someone more in line with the developmentalist group at the Finances Minister.
May 20th, 2011 - 06:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0*Ministry
May 20th, 2011 - 06:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0Even neo-liberals can be tempted by the trappings of great wealth.
May 20th, 2011 - 08:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0He is not to be held immune from examination, even if he is a neo-liberal.
If his vast new wealth is well-gotten he is an example to all aspiring within the nation.
If his vast new wealth is ill-gotten his destiny should be extreme and should serve as a contemporary warning that Dilma's Government will brook no personal gain from corruption within this land.
The penalties are there in the laws of the land - but they need a woman *with balls * to see that they are applied, applied now, and applied to all, without favour.
At least he made his wealth before he became a government functionary; I do not see any problem with that. If he were like Argentina´s government offficials, it would be another story.
May 21st, 2011 - 11:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No, that's the point, Jerry, he didn't.
May 22nd, 2011 - 01:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0He was a member of the House of Representatives before his nomination as Chief of Staff.
May 22nd, 2011 - 01:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0It is ~possible~ that Palocci may have been given a mortgage-loan of 7.5 million Real (4.6 million USD), = 18x the worth of his assets at 2006, for his two São Paulo properties.
May 22nd, 2011 - 11:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0But much more likely this is a small part of his current worth and a quid pro quo deal for services rendered.
What kind of 'advice' is worth 4.6 million USD?
The money trail for contracts offering 'sweeteners' of this size is very easy to follow.
But it's definitely not in very many people's interest to investigate.
When corruption permeates to every single corner of governance and public administration, too many people get caught in the net if such activities are rigerously examined.
How many *truely honest and untainted* men and women would be left standing if all Brasil's past and present corruptions were fully investigated ?
Geoff - I love your last comment (question); I would love it even more if “Brasil” was replaced by “countries”.
May 22nd, 2011 - 05:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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