Lúcio Vieira Lima: "The crisis has returned to the Presidential Palace"

A key figure in the PMDB's rebellious wing, the party's deputy leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Lúcio Vieira Lima, believes that the decision by TSE (Superior Electoral Court) minister Gilmar Mendes to request an investigation into alleged irregularities in President Dilma Rousseff's 2014 campaign "returns the crisis to the Planalto Palace"; he is referring to the current focus on the Attorney General's Office's accusation against the Speaker of the Chamber, Eduardo Cunha, for suspected involvement in Operation Lava Jato; "Congress has also realized that the only lifeline for the Planalto Palace, for the president, is to divert attention. The Planalto Palace today has no arguments, no positions to get out of the crisis," says Lúcio.

August 22, 2015, 23:45 PMUpdated May 27, 2019, 09:34 AM

A key figure in the PMDB's rebellious wing, the party's deputy leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Lúcio Vieira Lima, believes that the decision by TSE (Superior Electoral Court) minister Gilmar Mendes to request an investigation into alleged irregularities in President Dilma Rousseff's 2014 campaign "returns the crisis to the Planalto Palace"; he is referring to the current focus on the Attorney General's Office's accusation against the Speaker of the House, Eduardo Cunha, for suspected involvement in Operation Lava Jato; "Congress has also realized that the only lifeline for the Planalto Palace, for the president, is to divert attention. The Planalto Palace today has no arguments, no positions to get out of the crisis," says Lúcio (Photo: Romulo Faro).

Bahia 247 - The deputy leader of the PMDB in the Chamber, deputy Lúcio Vieira Lima, assessed this Saturday (22) that the decision of the Minister of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) Gilmar Mendes to request an investigation into alleged irregularities in President Dilma Rousseff's 2014 campaign "returns the crisis to the Planalto Palace".

He refers to the momentary focus of the press on the complaint filed by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) against the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), on Thursday (19), on suspicion of involvement in Operation Lava Jato.

In the corridors of Brasilia, information is circulating that some government supporters are celebrating the accusation against Cunha, which could lessen the pressure in Congress for impeachment proceedings against Dilma.

According to Lúcio Vieira Lima, the investigation requested by the TSE minister from the Attorney General's Office, the Federal Police, and the General Inspectorate of Electoral Justice to investigate whether there were irregularities in electoral donations during the president's campaign "is yet another sign that the focus of the political crisis is the government."

"Congress also realized that the only lifeline for the Planalto Palace, for the president, is to divert attention. The Planalto Palace today has no arguments, no positions to get out of the crisis," Lúcio said in a publication by Agência Estado.

He also comments on lobbyist Júlio Camargo's mention of the Vice President of the Republic, Michel Temer, in his plea bargain testimony. According to the congressman from Bahia, the mention of Temer "is just gossip" that doesn't bother the Vice President in any way.

Lúcio also defends his ally Eduardo Cunha and says that, although there are documents that support the complaint in the Supreme Court, "this type of mention consolidates the thesis that the PT and the Planalto [presidential palace] always work to divert attention."

"As always, everything needs to be investigated, but if you take everything they said as fact, then Brazil should be shut down."