Call for Brazil corruption action

By Steve Kingstone
BBC News, Sao Paulo

Former chief-of-staff Jose Dirceu may face criminal charges

More than 100 people, including MPs and two former government ministers, should face criminal charges, an inquiry into a Brazil corruption scandal recommends.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing.

The 1,800-page report, published on Wednesday, is the result of a nine-month parliamentary investigation.

It uncovered evidence that the ruling Workers' Party made illegal cash payments to lawmakers from other parties that joined its coalition.

This inquiry was set up to look into allegations of corruption in Brazil's state-run postal service.

But its scope soon widened to investigate allegations that the Workers' Party had in effect bought the votes of parliamentary allies through undeclared cash payments.

Electoral law 'breached'

The report names 19 sitting or former MPs, three former Workers' Party executives and two government ministers who resigned last year over the allegations.

The most high-profile figure is Jose Dirceu, formerly the influential chief-of-staff to the Brazilian president.

He has always denied any wrongdoing, but if the report is approved in a parliamentary vote next week, prosecutors will then consider whether to charge him.

On the specific bribery allegations, the report concludes that the Workers' Party did funnel millions of dollars in undeclared funds to its allies, breaching Brazilian electoral law.

It says the president was warned about the scheme but it clears him of any cover-up, pointing out that he had asked a senior minister to investigate the corruption claims.