Haddad criticizes the Justice system for only punishing the PT (Workers' Party).

In an interview with CBN radio this Thursday, the 16th, the mayor of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad (PT), demanded equal treatment from the Justice system in judging cases of irregularities involving politicians; “We cannot have double standards. Just as I want punishment for those who harmed Petrobras, I want punishment for the PSDB members from Minas Gerais who inaugurated the mensalão [monthly allowance scandal],” he said; “Everyone has to pay. It's not because someone has a star on their chest that they pay and someone else who is just a bit of a snitch doesn't. If you make a mistake, you pay,” he added; the PSDB mensalão, which according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, channeled R$ 3,5 million to the reelection campaign of the then governor of Minas Gerais, Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB), is about to expire.

April 17, 2015, 00:42 hUpdated May 27, 2019, 09:47 AM

In an interview with CBN radio this Thursday, the 16th, the mayor of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad (PT), demanded equality from the Justice system in judging cases of irregularities involving politicians; “We cannot have double standards. Just as I want punishment for those who harmed Petrobras, I want punishment for the PSDB members from Minas Gerais who inaugurated the mensalão [monthly allowance scandal],” he said; “Everyone has to pay. It's not because someone has a star on their chest that they pay and someone else who is just a bit of a snitch doesn't. If you make a mistake, you pay,” he added; the PSDB mensalão, which according to the Public Prosecutor's Office, channeled R$ 3,5 million to the reelection campaign of the then governor of Minas Gerais, Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB), is about to expire (Photo: Aquiles Lins).

SP 247 - The mayor of São Paulo, Fernando Haddad (PT), criticized, in an interview with radio “CBN” this Thursday (16), the difference in the handling of investigations into suspicions of illicit acts against different parties. For him, there cannot be “double standards”.

Furthermore, Haddad recalled the Mensalão Mineiro case, which has been stalled in the courts for over a year and is on the verge of expiring. The lawsuit is against the former governor of Minas Gerais, Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB). According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, R$ 3,5 million were diverted to the politician's reelection campaign in 1998.

“We can’t have double standards. Just as I want punishment for those who harmed Petrobras, I want punishment for the PSDB members from Minas Gerais who orchestrated the mensalão scandal,” he said. “Everyone has to pay. Just because someone has a star on their chest doesn’t mean they pay, and someone else who’s just a tough guy doesn’t. If you’re wrong, you pay,” Haddad criticized. “This isn’t good. We, as citizens, can’t root for those who erred and are PSDB members to get away with it,” the mayor added.

According to information from the PT News Agency, the "Tucano Mensalão," as it is also known, began to be investigated in 2005, and two years later, in 2007, the Attorney General's Office filed charges in court. Following the accusations, Azeredo was still elected as a senator and congressman and always denied participation in the scheme. The case was returned fully finalized after the Supreme Federal Court (STF) returned it in the first instance.