Marina: "What threatens the pre-salt reserves is corruption at Petrobras"

247 - Presidential candidate Marina Silva, from the PSB party, downplayed on Saturday (6) the allegations involving former governor Eduardo Campos (PSB) in an alleged Petrobras bribery scheme, denounced by Paulo Roberto Costa, former director of the state-owned company. Marina defended Campos and said that it is necessary to await the investigations. The candidate, however, blamed the federal government for corruption scandals involving Petrobras.

"The fact that a Petrobras project was carried out in his state does not give him the right to put anyone on the list of those who committed irregularities," said Marina, referring to the fact that Campos governed Pernambuco for two terms, where Petrobras has a refinery. "We await the investigations that are being carried out into the mismanagement at Petrobras, which are threatening the future of the pre-salt reserves," said the candidate, after a rally in Brumado, in the interior of Bahia.

When questioned about the potential damage to her campaign if the accusation against Campos is proven, Marina only said that this is "speculation" and defended the former presidential candidate from the PSB party, whose running mate she was, and who died on August 13th in a plane crash.

Marina stated that the blame for the irregularities lies with the Workers' Party administration. According to the candidate, Dilma is leading the state-owned company "to bankruptcy." "The current government has to explain the poor governance it is carrying out at Petrobras," she said.

"We are not the ones threatening the pre-salt reserves; we will maintain exploration in the pre-salt layer and use the resources for health and education, so that we have knowledge, science, technology, and information to help improve Brazil's future," he said. "What threatens the pre-salt reserves is the corruption that is plaguing Petrobras," he added.