Opposition echoes baseless accusation against Santana.

247 - The disclosure that marketing strategist João Santana, who provided services to PT (Workers' Party) election campaigns, is being investigated by the Federal Police for allegedly transferring US$16 million worth of services rendered in Angola to Brazil has stirred up the opposition. According to the PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Carlos Sampaio (SP), it is necessary to investigate whether the PT benefited from foreign funds, which is prohibited by law.

"The Mensalão and Petrolão scandals were designed to divert public money and finance the PT's project to remain in power. Given that marketing strategist João Santana is a key figure in this PT obsession with power for power's sake, it is likely, as the Federal Police suspects, that the funds brought to Brazil from Angola originated from Brazilian companies providing services in the African country. Furthermore, it is necessary to investigate whether the PT benefited from foreign funds, which is prohibited by Brazilian law," stated Carlos Sampaio in a press release.

Sampaio's position is also similar to that adopted by the leader of the PPS in the Chamber, Rubens Bueno (PR). According to him, Brazilian construction companies that have business in Angola may have used João Santana's company to indirectly transfer money from abroad to the PT, settling pre-existing debts.

"The question that remains is the true origin of the funds. This point needs to be rigorously investigated by the Federal Police, which must provide the greatest possible transparency regarding this investigation. The payment of taxes could have served only to launder money of dubious origin. It is a case that cannot be forgotten, as happened with the payments made by the PT abroad to the marketing consultant Duda Mendonça during the Mensalão scandal," Bueno said in a statement.