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Lula accused of helping Saab win US$ 5.6bn defense contract for the air force

Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 10:06 UTC
Full article 15 comments

Federal prosecutors on Friday filed new criminal charges against Brazil’s former President Lula da Silva for allegedly using his influence for financial gain after he left office. Lula was charged with influence peddling, money laundering and conspiracy. Read full article

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  • Briton

    Apparently Brazil want to get into the Space race,
    one would suggest they deal with their earthly problems first.

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 12:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Think

    TWIMC

    Article says...:
    “Saab representatives in Brazil said they were in the process of acknowledging the accusation and would eventually comment at a later stage.”

    I say...:
    BULLSHIT...
    SAAB has already denied any wrong-doing...
    As they say...
    1) They have and are cooperating in full with the Brazilian Investigators...
    2) Nothing has surfaced from the Swedish side that can indicate any type of wrong-doing...
    3) There is not a single SAAB employee or SAAB representant that has been charged, indicted, questioned or even suspected about any wrong-doings...
    https://www.gp.se/nyheter/världen/jas-affären-lula-misstänks-för-korruption-1.4031905

    “Saab förnekar oegentligheter
    – Vi har en extremt strikt policy vad gäller affärshantering. Vi har samarbetat med rättsliga myndigheter i Brasilien vid tidigare genomlysningar av det här avtalet och kommer fortsätta göra det, säger Sebastian Carlsson, presschef på Saab.
    Vi har agerat på ett transparent sätt under hela upphandlingen. Brasilianska myndigheter har gått igenom upphandlingen noga vid ett flertal tillfällen, senast i somras i London. Tittar man på artiklarna nu riktas inga misstankar mot varken Saab eller Saabanställda.”

    Brainwash anybody...?

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 12:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Briton

    Nuts...Somebody is obviously lying.
    Probably merco press has misread it..

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 12:42 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • :o))

    WHEN IN POWER, it is just IMPOSSIBLE to resist the temptation to steal! Considering the innumerable opportunities; they ALL yield to THAT “Desire to Steal”!

    IF at all there are very few exceptions to this rule; it is only because they were clever enough, not to leave any clues or witnesses behind. And in some extremely exceptional & rare cases, they actually may not be corrupt simply because they MAY be too yellow to get caught!

    The Investigations are fine! They - try to - bring the criminals at least to some kind of justice. However, that just does NOT bring any change of hearts of the corrupt.

    It only motivates them to be better criminals - to find more sophisticated ways & means to steal and more difficult to get caught. It also motivates them to “improve the legal system” to PROTECT them. As a result; the investigators remain powerless, the investigations fizzle down and the already helpless masses get even more frustrated - as it is already happening TODAY!

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 01:25 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Briton

    Seems most of south America is corrupt then ?

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 08:25 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Islander1

    Inclined to agree with you Think. Corruption in Brazil - yes -but find it hard to believe anything fundwise would have come from the swedes.

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 08:35 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Think

    Islander1

    Swedes ain't Saints... but..., since the Bofors scandal during the eighties...:
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_scandal
    .......................................................................................the check and balances oved their arms industry were centuplicated...

    Today, It is virtually impossible for any Scandinavian company to pay any form of kick back...

    That's one of the main reasons Lula liked the Saab offer soo much...

    Dec 10th, 2016 - 08:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • sj_ken

    In the US most former politicians, former high ranking military and former high government officials do this, here it is called being a lobbyist.
    Maybe the US government would be better served if criminal charges were brought against every former elected official, military or government officials that became a lobbyist.

    Dec 11th, 2016 - 07:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Terence Hill

    “Allegedly using his influence for financial gain after he left office.” An act that is entirely permissible under the common law legal system sans office. I don't recall the Federal Constitution forbidding such activities. I wonder if the writing of political biographies is similarly viewed as a crime?

    Dec 11th, 2016 - 03:07 pm - Link - Report abuse -2
  • Jack Bauer

    Of course Lula is innocent.....“using his influence for financial gain” - perfectly reasonable, especially if you consider that all the charges against him and his sons, are totally false....he is not the owner of the Guarujá 'tripex' (as Lula calls it), nor of the “sítio” in Atibaia, and he is not to blame if his name appears on Odebrecht corruption spreadsheets, linked to R$ 23 million in bribes.....the US$ 2 million mansion in Punta del Este is not his, some benefactor just decided to give him the keys so he could use it as his own ; and 300 specialized Federal prosecutors in the 'Lavajato' task force, and Judge Moro, haven't a clue as what's going on...and obviously, when Marcelo Odebrecht's plea-bargain becomes public, Lula's name will not be mentioned.....I feel so sorry for Lula, after having to defend himself by stating that he is “the most honest guy in Brazil”, I have no idea what they are going to accuse him of next...perhaps being semi-illiterate ?

    Dec 11th, 2016 - 06:13 pm - Link - Report abuse -2
  • :o))

    The corrupt always show great efficiency in stealing.

    It iis up to the masses if they can demand similar efficiency in improving the Quality of Life and the Standard of Living of the masses; so that the stealing is not the primary issue. And if they can't; let the corruption be made legal; so that time & money is not spent needlessly in the investigations.

    Dec 14th, 2016 - 02:28 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • Jack Bauer

    Regarding Saab, it's just a matter of time before the sh*t hits the fan.....any foreign company in Brazil, trying to do business with the public sector, either pays bribes or they never sign a contract...Saab is no exception. Just take a look at Alstom (Alsthom), huge French conglomerate in the railroad equipment sector - they paid millionaire bribes to São Paulo politicians to secure contracts to supply locomotives and carriages for the train and subway systems....they've confessed and have paid huge fines to avoid having some of their executives face far more serious consequences ; Bombardier, canadian company, the same thing....it's the way things work in Brazil.

    Noticed that a couple of crazed lefties have given me two minus points for my above post (2nd one 'up')....they just can't take it, if anyone challenges the honesty of their idols, there's all hell to pay...funny, they preach tolerance, however vehemently criticize all those who don't agree with their opinions......
    But just to set the record straight, I'd like to tell whoever gave me the minus points, you're right - I truly dislike the PT and it's filthy, dishonest, corrupt, illiterate leader, the 9-fingered mollusc.

    Dec 14th, 2016 - 06:16 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • :o))

    Briton: REF: Seems most of south America is corrupt then?

    The good/bad news is that the rest of the countries are not exactly immune! It is a common knowledge that the presidential candidates spend over a billion of US$ to more or less ensure their winning in the elections - in the USA. Does anyone really think that the donors - the “investors” - and supporters spent all this money because they have a “Patriotic-Itch”?

    Dec 16th, 2016 - 10:07 am - Link - Report abuse -1
  • Terence Hill

    “Lula, who was no longer president when the alleged illegal practices happened,”
    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-corruption-lula-idUSKBN1460TR
    What act is this now private citizen supposedly breached? Seems long on inuendo and short on specifics.

    Dec 18th, 2016 - 11:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Jack Bauer

    As I've said before, and repeat now....the 'petistas' will spin whatever tale they can to try to get Lula off the hook....but the proof is piling up, and the toad will go to prison...another well known fact, despite Dilma being president - until she was kicked out - it was Lula who manipulated her behind the scenes...after having tasted success and power, the toad is reluctant to fade back into the shadow and lead the discrete life every ex-president should.

    Dec 18th, 2016 - 06:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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