FHC: "If Dilma didn't see anything, she's not a good manager."
Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso is pressing President Dilma Rousseff about the plea bargain made by Paulo Roberto Costa, former director of Petrobras; "It's not one case, there are many; it's not a practice, it's a constant; it's not a deviation, it's almost a rule, and I think she needs to give more consistent explanations," he stated; the former president also said that the state-owned company "fell into the hands of partisan politics"; episodes from the FHC era at Petrobras, such as the asset swap with Repsol, are also being investigated by the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry in Congress.
247 - Former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso on Tuesday, the 9th, demanded that President Dilma Rousseff (PT) address the allegations made by former Petrobras director Paulo Roberto Costa regarding an alleged bribery scheme involving politicians and large companies with contracts with the state-owned company. According to Cardoso, if Dilma knew nothing, as she claims, she is not a "competent manager."
"President Dilma said she didn't see anything, I believe her, but then she's not a competent manager. It's not one case, there are many; it's not a practice, it's a constant; it's not a deviation, it's almost a rule, and I think she needs to give more consistent explanations," stated the former president, who is in New York attending a meeting of the Global Commission on Drug Policy, of which he is president.
"What we are seeing is that it [Petrobras] has fallen into the hands of partisan politics. I'm not talking about its general guidelines, but its day-to-day implementation. Petrobras is the most important company in Brazil, and it's becoming clear that there has been a political takeover," continued FHC, according to a report in the newspaper O Globo. Lula's predecessor said he didn't know if Costa's testimony would change the campaign, "but it brings ethics back into the campaign debate."
Fernando Henrique says he doesn't see candidates as having direct responsibility in the matter, but rather a lack of attitude. "We have to be more restrictive, not accept so much leniency. For now, these are just statements; the documentation will come. I'm not being hasty; I won't judge before seeing what it's about, but it's already clear that this is a scandal of enormous proportions." He also defended Petrobras as a company, not a "public agency," and assessed that the CPI investigating the state-owned company in Congress "is very politicized; it hasn't done anything so far."
Episodes involving Petrobras during the FHC government are also being investigated by the committee. Recently, President Dilma Rousseff has cited, when questioned about corruption at Petrobras during the PT governments, cases such as the asset swap with the Spanish group Repsol, which caused great harm to the state-owned company (read here), and the sinking of the P-36 platform.