Gurgel postpones sending charges against Lula.
Brazil's Attorney General, Roberto Gurgel, had said that he would forward the complaint filed by businessman Marcos Valério against former President Lula to the first instance court in São Paulo by Monday. He did not explain why he failed to do so; there is a possibility that the case will be sent to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) because Senator Humberto Costa (PT-PE), also mentioned by Marcos Valério, has parliamentary immunity.
247 Brazil's Attorney General, Roberto Gurgel, did not send, as promised, to prosecutors working in the first instance of the Justice system, the testimony in which businessman Marcos Valério accused former President Lula of having benefited from the mensalão scheme.
Last Friday, Gurgel said he would forward the complaint by today. According to the Attorney General's office, there was no specific reason for not sending the testimony, nor is there a specific date for sending the documents.
In his testimony, Valério said that money from the mensalão scandal was used to pay for Lula's personal expenses, and that Lula also allegedly authorized bank loans obtained through the scheme.
The federal prosecutors who receive the complaint will conduct a preliminary assessment of the need for further investigations and, if they believe the case should be investigated, will decide whether to open an inquiry into the former president's actions in the Mensalão scandal.
However, there is also the possibility that the case will be referred to the Supreme Federal Court (STF), since Senator Humberto Costa (PT-PE), also mentioned by Marcos Valério, has parliamentary immunity.