SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Brazil’s former prime training official was arrested on corruption charges, the president stated on Wednesday, noting his former aide will reply for his actions forward of elections later this yr through which graft scandals loom giant for voters.
“If he’s harmless, no drawback. If he’s responsible, he can pay,” President Jair Bolsonaro instructed native broadcaster Radio Itatiaia, referring to former Education Minister Milton Ribeiro.
“The authorities is collaborating with the investigation. We do not condone any of this.”
In an announcement, Ribeiro’s lawyer Daniel Bialski stated his shopper’s arrest was “unfair, unmotivated, pointless” and that he was submitting a authorized movement to free him.
According to a police supply, Ribeiro’s arrest is a part of the so-called “Access Paid” operation aimed toward investigating corruption and affect peddling associated to the spending of public funds from an training growth fund.
In an announcement on Wednesday, police careworn that their investigations have uncovered “doable proof” of crimes involving using public cash.
Ribeiro resigned in March after allegations surfaced that he gave preferential remedy to 2 pastors for instructional funding in return for bribes.
He was the third training minister to stop underneath Bolsonaro, who ran on a pledge to curb corruption.
When accusations in opposition to Ribeiro first emerged earlier this yr, Bolsonaro referred to as them “cowardice,” including that he absolutely trusted him.
The training ministry has confirmed {that a} police workforce visited its places of work, including that it was cooperating with investigations.
The probes focus on crimes equivalent to affect peddling, abuse of energy, and different corruption-related charges.
Local media stated an evangelical pastor linked to Bolsonaro was additionally arrested within the operation.
(Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Eduardo Simoes; Writing by Steven Grattan and Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Richard Chang)
