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- Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
- Path: sparky!uunet!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
- From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
- Subject: BRAZIL: PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF PROFITING FROM HIS POSITION
- Message-ID: <1992Aug31.234121.22437@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
- Followup-To: alt.activism.d
- Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
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- Organization: PACH
- Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 23:41:21 GMT
- Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
- Lines: 137
-
- /** reg.samerica: 153.0 **/
- ** Topic: IPS: Collor Accused of Profiteering **
- ** Written 3:57 am Aug 30, 1992 by josefina in cdp:reg.samerica **
- From: Josefina Velasquez <josefina>
- Subject: IPS: Collor Accused of Profiteering
-
- /* ---------- "IPS: Collor Accused of Profiteering" ---------- */
- /* Escrito 12:13 am Aug 27, 1992 por newsdesk en cdp:ips.englibrary */
- Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved. Permission to re-
- print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.
-
- Title: BRAZIL: PRESIDENT ACCUSED OF PROFITING FROM HIS POSITION
-
- an inter press service feature
-
- by mario osava
-
- rio de janeiro, aug 24 (ips) -- the parliamentary comission of
- inquiry (cpi) investigating allegations of corruption in the
- brazilian government has accused president fernando collor de
- mello of ''having received improper economic advantages'' during
- his two a half years in office.
-
- the evidence gathered by the cpi suggests that collor could be
- brought face trial or congressional impeachment proceedings for
- ''common crimes and the crime of (political)responsibility'',
- according to a report by cpi's relator, senator amir lando.
-
- the cpi report, which describes collor's behaviour as
- ''incompatible with the dignity, honour and decorum of a head of
- state'', was formally read out on monday and broadcast live
- throughout the country on radio and television.
-
- the 22-member commission is expected to vote on the report on
- wednesday, for its final approval, but for now the 200-page
- document is the responsibility of the cpi's relator or 'court
- reporter'.
-
- however, the report is likley to be approved, since the the
- opposition has a majority of 12 members on the cpi, including
- senator amir lando who belongs to the brazilian democratic
- movement party (pmdb).
-
- if approved, the final report would provide the basis for the
- senate to begin political proceedings against the president, if
- two-thirds of the lower chamber votes for impeachment, while the
- supreme court would try collor for alleged ''common crimes''.
-
- the former president of the brazilian bar association, hermann
- baeta, said collor could already be charged with at least two
- common crimes: the creation of a group engaged in illicit
- activities and passive corruption.
-
- moreover, the administrative dishonesty of which collor is
- accused in the report, could provide grounds for his impeachment
- for the so-called ''crime of responsibility''.
-
- however, collor's supporters take a different view. senator
- odacir soares of the liberal front party (pfl) and a cpi member,
- described the report as ''legally premature and politically
- biased'', and said it was a ''political document that reflects a
- power struggle,'' and therefore legally invalid.
-
- government supporters have consistently tried to play down the
- legal basis of the report, prepared by a majority of opposition
- parliamentarians, and have refused to participate in wednesday's
- vote to approve the document.
-
- while the whole country ground to a halt during the reading of
- the preliminary report, president collor calmly carried on with
- his normal activities, according to presidential spokesman
- etevaldo dias. (more/ips)
- ----
-
-
- brazil: president (2)
-
- apparently oblivious to the parliamentary battle that will
- decide his fate, collor presided at a ceremony in the planalto
- palace, the government headquarters, to announce new economic
- ''de-regulation measures'', improved customs facilities and
- measures to ease the acquisition of passports.
-
- however, the cpi report avoids listing the specific crimes
- committed by the president with reagard to the corruption network
- set up by his friend and former campaign treasurer, businessman
- paulo cesar farias, because this was not its function, said
- deputy jackson pereira.
-
- this tactic was used to prevent the government from annulling
- the report, since the cpi's stated intention was to investigate
- corruption on the part of farias, not the president.
-
- however, clear links between collor and farias' activities
- have emerged in the course of the inquiry, including the fact
- that farias paid for the remodelling of one of the president's
- private residences and other personal expenses.
-
- collor's private car was also paid for with a cheque from one
- of several ''phantom'' account holders --bank accounts in the
- name of non-existent people, set up by farias to evade taxes and
- transfer large sums of money.
-
- moreover, the commission discovered that millions of dollars
- were transfered to accounts belonging to several of collor's
- relatives and his secretary, ana acioli, by farias' companies or
- by ''phantom'' depositors.
-
- the assets and incomes of collor's close associates and of
- farias' companies also increased enormously during the last two
- and a half years of collor's administration, according to the
- cpi.
-
- even the president's own statements have worked against him.
- during a recent address to the nation, collor admitted that money
- in his secretary's bank account was used to pay for his personal
- expenses. it is now known that the money in acioli's account was
- deposited by farias' companies.
-
- in his speech collor also denied that he had any relations
- with farias since he took office 1990.
-
- according to paulo maluf, the president of the ruling
- democratic social party, the most serious aspect of the case is
- that collor took advantage of his ''privileged'' position to
- avoid the 'freeze' on bank accounts and financial transactions
- which his own government imposed on all brazilians a day after
- taking office.
-
- maluf cited this as his main reason for breaking with the
- government and demanding that his party close ranks and press for
- collor's impeachment. (ends/ips/trd/sp or en/mo/cs/cg/92)
- ----
-
-
- ** End of text from cdp:reg.samerica **
-
-