'Allegations against Temer and Serra could help Dilma'

By Luiz Brandão, from Teresina - The serious allegations published in the press over the weekend against interim president Michel Temer (PMDB) and foreign minister José Serra (PSDB) may favor President Dilma Rousseff in her fight against impeachment.

The assessment comes from Senator Regina Sousa (PT/PI). According to her, the allegations may cause some senators who claim to be undecided to vote against the president's definitive removal from office.

The senator is referring to the allegations contained in what is said to be part of the "pre-plea bargain" of executives from the construction company Odebrecht, which were published by the national press at the end of last week.

In the "pre-plea bargain," according to documents leaked to the press, the informants say that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Serra (PSDB), allegedly received R$ 23 million from Odebrecht, through undeclared funds, for his presidential campaign in 2010. Adjusted for inflation during that period, the value of the "bribe" paid to Serra would be equivalent to R$ 34,5 million today.

Regina Sousa believes that "with this latest news, the senators who are still undecided may change their vote. I believe this could decide in our favor. I can't guarantee it with 100% certainty, but I see that there is now a strong element that will determine votes," says the Workers' Party senator.

The senator informed that later that evening, the PT (Workers' Party) caucus in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies would meet to evaluate and outline the week's action plan. She assured that the recent accusations against members of the government and against Temer himself would be discussed.

"Some senators have already spoken out. Senator Lindemberg Farias requested the immediate removal of Minister José Serra due to the seriousness of the allegations made by Odebrecht executives," said the Workers' Party senator.

PRE-CONFESSION

The Odebrecht plea bargain also directly implicates interim president Michel Temer and other politicians from the PMDB, PSDB, and other parties. Temer allegedly received R$ 10 million from the construction company. The payment negotiations were reportedly conducted by Temer at the Jaburu Palace, the official residence of the vice-president, with the company's former president himself.

The plea bargain of Odebrecht executives, still under negotiation with the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, includes that of the former president of the construction company, businessman Marcelo Odebrecht, imprisoned in Curitiba (PR) and convicted by Judge Sérgio Moro in Operation Lava Jato.