Crisis with the Congress

Government loses anotherO Globo March 5th, 2015

Chamber approves PEC of Bengal, which takes Dilma’s right to appoint

five new ministers to the Supreme Court (STF)

Simone Iglesias, Cristiane Jungblut and Catarina Alencastro

opais@globo.com.br

Brasilia- The list of politicians involved in corruption scandal at Petrobras

increased the gap between the government and the Congress. Yesterday was

marked by meetings at the Planalto Palace, at the Senate and at the Chamber,

with veiled exchange of accusations between the two powers. No government

effort was enough to avoid another defeat: the PEC (Proposal for Constitutional

Amendment) of Bengal, which extends the maximum age for retirement for

ministers of the superior courts from 70 to 75 years, was approved in the first

round by 318 votes in favor, 131 against and 10 abstentions. According to the

current rule, President Dilma Rousseff would the right to appoint five ministers

to the Supreme Court (STF) until the end of his term. If the action be approved

in two rounds, the President will only make new indications - in addition to the

Joaquim Barbosa replacement - if ministers retire voluntarily.

The government has been mobilizing since the last legislature to prevent

the voting, but since taking over the presidency of the Chamber, Eduardo

Cunha (PMDB-RJ) announced that it would vote the amendment. PT deputies

forwarded against the approval of the amendment, accusing it as casuistry.

The voting of the PEC of Bengal has even led to the cancellation of the

meeting that PT deputies bench would have with the ministers Mercadante

(Civil Office), Joaquim Levy (Finance), Nelson Barbosa (Planning) and Pepe

Vargas (Institutional Relations). The meeting was intended to overcome the

rejection of the PT interim measures of fiscal adjustment.

Attempts to improve the relationship with the Congress were still

hampered by a statement of the Minister of Education, Cid Gomes, that there is

"some 400 deputies the worse the better for them," who wants the government

fragile to "find more." Pronounced in Belem last week, the phrase came to light

yesterday and led the Board to decide to call the minister to provide information.

Angered by what Cid said, Eduardo Cunha announced that would not vote in

the projects of the minister’s responsibilities until he explains his statements.

- This house is not a brothel that this minister thinks it is - protested

Deputy Pauderney Avelino (DEM-AM), minority leader.

The new retaliation of Congress to the government occurred amid the

upsurge of dissatisfaction of the chairmen of the Chamber and Senate, against

the Planalto. Cunha and Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL) blame the government,

specifically the Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo, being survey opening

target by the Supreme Court and the attempt to dehydrate the PMDB. Renan

said yesterday that is not involved with the Jet Wash (Lava Jato) and that if was

quoted, was indirectly and by "third parties". The allies, reminded that they

already faced impeachment process and "much worse cases".

The government denies any management to include or remove cited in

investigated list of the Jet Wash. According to a minister's political core, the

government has no power to influence the Attorney General's Office of the

Republic:

In a demonstration of the tense atmosphere, Renan left the Minister of

Institutional Relations, Pepe Vargas, waiting for over half an hour in his office at

the president of the Senate. In conversation with Vargas, Renan warned that

the next bomb to the government in Congress will be the veto of President

Dilma Rousseff to correction of 6.5% of the income tax table. Renan warned

that a negotiated solution is needed, or defeat is certain. In the end of the

meeting, Vargas said that "removed the tension" environment between Renan

and the Planalto.

- The President show us his view that it was important the government to

find a negotiated solution around the Income Tax veto, negotiated with the two

Houses. We will work in the coming days to see what is possible.

About the return of the provisional measure annulling the effects of

release on the sheet of the companies, happened on the day before, Vargas

said Renan wanted to make clear that the government needs to talk more.

President Dilma tried to avoid the return of the MP (Public Ministry) on Tuesday

afternoon, but could not talk to Renan in time. She called the President of the

Senate, but he was already announcing its position on the Senate floor and

being greeted by the opposition. Since then, Dilma and Renan did not speak.

The Finance Minister, Joaquim Levy, spoke with Renan by phone, but

did not succeed. Senators told O Globo that Levy reminded Renan he is the

father of a governor, Renan Filho, of Alagoas.

- I am president of the Congress and not the governor - said Renan,

according to senators.

The Renan's decision to return the relief of MP was seen in the Planalto

as a "marketing ploy" to divide the headlines with the citation of his name by the

PGR (Attorney General of the Republic). Despite the exchange of barbs (verbal

fight), government sources believe in a "reconstruction" bridge with the

President of the Senate.

In the morning, Dilma held meetings to address the fiscal adjustment

measures with leaders of allied parties in Congress. Did not invite to the

conversations the Vice President Michel Temer, who had engaged to call for

political discussions with the base. Given the inconvenience caused, in the late

afternoon Dilma called the deputy to his office to talk. (Contributed Junia Gama

and Fernanda Krakovics)

Interview - Murillo de Aragon

O Globo March 5th, 2015

"DILMA is bricked by the Congress, that imposes her schedule

The publicized failure in the relationship of President Dilma Rousseff with

the Congress will change at once the country's politics, says political scientist

Murillo de Aragon. For him, the lack of ability and appreciation of Dilma for the

politics puts an end to the submissive posture of the Legislature in relation to

the Executive.

Isabel Braga

isabraga@bsb.oglobo.com.br

-Brasilia-

•What represents the attitude of the President of the Senate, Renan

Calheiros, returning an important project for the fiscal adjustment after

being told that his name was on the Jet Was politician’s list?

The attitude of Renan combines two clear factors for me: first, the desire

of the Congress to be recognized as the power that it is. It is an institutional

attitude and follows clear trend, which began with the decision to vote the

presidential vetoes and approve the imposing budget. The second factor is

operational. Government policy coordination with the Congress is not working.

An MP with this relevance would have to have been previously negotiated with

the main leaders.

• Renan had boycotted a dinner with Dilma. He moved position of

preferential ally to rebel?

I do not believe that the not going was retaliation for some personal

undone. What exists is a discomfort within the coalition PMDB and institutional

strengthening of Congress.

• The names of Renan and Cunha in the prosecutor's list can mean a

weakening of the legislative independence?

Any involvement or research brings discomfort. Now, I do not attach to

this episode the intensification of the relationship between government and

Congress. Are independent attitudes. Be included in the list is the decision of

the prosecution, from the judicial investigations. There is an institutional

strengthening and deficiency in the coordination policy.

• You make a crisis diagnosis of presidential coalition. Can you explain

why?

The presidentialism of coalition aims to give the president-elect a majority

in Congress. It would be, roughly, a half parliamentarism because the

government needs to have a majority to approve his proposals and guard

against the opposition. To the extent that the political forces in Congress do not

think adequately represented in the government, there are tensions. And these

tensions were evidenced during the first mandate of Dilma.

• But how it got to this point?

There was no adequate participation of the political parties in the

ministries, in the distribution of positions and funds related to this support in

Congress. Thus is created a dissatisfaction and settlements of liabilities that

ends now in her second mandate. She is being bricked by the Congress the

imposes her schedule.

• But the president has 39 ministers, with representatives of these political

parties in them. What does not work?

The ministries often are empty. Who run the machine is not the holder of

the political party that occupies. Receive the ministry, but not the pen to

administer. And sometimes she chooses the minister of the political party is not

the political party that chooses, which creates tension. And the third point

concerns the proportionality does not support the size of the symbols in

Congress. The PT has created an idea that the president would have greater

supremacy than it should have. Who should have is the coalition of political

parties that supported the election of Dilma and Michel Temer.

• But it was not always like this?

The PMDB was slow to realize that it has more power than he exercises

effectively. Only after the irritation caused by the first Dilma’s mandate is that

what awakening it to this reality.

"The PMDB was slow to realize that it has more

power than he exercises effectively"

Column - Merval PereiraO Globo March 5th, 2015

Dilma's paradox

At the same time that increased its political problems with the disclosure

of which would be part of the list of Attorney General Rodrigo Janot,

paradoxically the President Dilma was reinforced by the weakening of the

Congress, with the presidents of the Chamber and Senate included among

those investigated in Operation Jet Wash.

If it was hasty the defense of impeachment at this point, without concrete

data sustain the suspect, almost certainly, the population that President Dilma

"had knowledge of corruption in Petrobras' (77% of respondents); "Knew of

deviations and left continue" (52%); "Knew and could do nothing" (25%), as

revealed the recent Data-sheet survey, now in the process would be politically

unfeasible STF that a Board chaired by Eduardo Cunha received a President

offside request or the Senate chaired by Renan Calheiros this continuation of

the process, which would be chaired by the President of the Supreme Court.

This shield, which was being celebrated yesterday by closest allies Dilma

is, however, what makes the two politicians convinced that this was the purpose

of the inclusion of their names in the list. Naturally in humans, especially in the

quality of the two politicians, forget their own sins to transfer to others the blame

for their misfortunes.

And as they will continue in their office positions during most of the

investigation, and maintain their mandates even after eventually being reported,

both will be in power situation to face the Planalto Palace and political pressure

President Dilma.

If they are convinced that it was the Justice Minister José Eduardo

Cardozo, who led the attorney general's office to include them in the list and do

not even believe in the independence of Janot, therefore consider that

pressuring the government can count on your interference in the course of

investigations by the Federal Police.

There is now the fact that the life of President Dilma will not be easy, on

the contrary, with several pro-government allies included in Janot research list.

The political difficulties are the economic, and the uncertainty in Congress

removes any possibility of the government to ensure that the fiscal balance

measures should be adopted.

The political environment is contaminated by personal issues that end up

being essential to decision-making, often right, but for the wrong reasons. This

is the case for the return of the provisional measure on the exemption from

payroll, attitude taken by Renan with a correct formal reason and another,

underlying and denied, but known to be important, it was his inclusion in the

investigated list.

Each of his attitude, even based on institutional reasons, will keep from

now on a hard antigovernment difficult to camouflage. Also Eduardo Cunha had

increased their dose of pragmatic opposition to the inclusion of his name in the

list of Janot.

Petrobras CPI will be a good stage to perform their "independence" of

the Planalto Palace, the basis of his election to the presidency of the Chamber.

The PMDB, as government co-participate, will always have a formal attitude

ally, but as their collaboration is not requested by President Dilma, the farther it

gets from the government co-responsibility.

The vice-president Michel Temer is only called when the circus is on fire,

as is the currently case. But at this stage of the championship, with the

president weakened by poor economic outlook, and with the base ally at war, a

more effective approach will be difficult.

Will the Senate, for example, that adopt the name indicated for the

vacant Minister Joaquim Barbosa in the Supreme Court. With several senators

and deputies on the investigated list, the new minister, who will participate in the

second group that will judge the petrolão, will have serious difficulties during the

inquisition.

First reason for the distancing of PMDB from the government, the PT is

in the spotlight again in the investigation of petrolão, and can not count on the

solidarity of what would be in theory their greatest ally in Congress. Unless all

ends in pizza, giving reason to distrust and certainties of Cunha and Calheiros.

And then the democracy is being affronted.

The key points

1-At the same time that increased her political problems with the disclosure of

which would be part of Janot list, paradoxically Dilma was reinforced by the

weakening of the Congress

2-This shield, which was being celebrated yesterday by Dilma’s closest allies, is

what makes the two politicians to be convinced that this was the purpose of the

inclusion of their names in the list

3-First reason for the distancing of PMDB from the government, the PT is in the

spotlight again in the investigation of petrolão

For Cunha, cited in the Jet Wash can integrate Ethics

BoardO Globo March 5th, 2015

Chamber’s Chairman claims that there is no condemnation of

parliamentary

Junia Gama, Evandro Éboli, and Isabel Braga

opais@oglobo.com.br

-Brasília- The Ethics Board of the Chamber, public organ that will judge any

impeachment proceedings against members cited in Petrobras corruption

scheme, began to be formed yesterday by parliamentarians whose history

shows little willingness to punish colleagues. On the same day, the Chamber’s

Chairman, Eduardo Cunha (PMDB-RJ), said he did not see any impediment for

Members cited in Operation Jet Wash integrate the Ethics Board, claiming that

"all are equal" in the Chamber.

-All Who are in office in this House are legitimate to exercise any function, no

one can be considered under suspicion. Of course it will not be the rapporteur

of any process regarding this matter. For me, I see no difficulty, who's here is

just like everyone else. Until resign or have suffered process with

disqualification from holding office, is equal to all - Cunha said.

INDICATIONS CONTROVERSIES

The Chamber’s Chairman - himself one of the possible cited in the list that the

Public Ministry sent to the Supreme Court (STF) - said that to be the target of

investigation Court do not disqualify the parliamentary to any function in the

House.

-There are people here with investigation, there are people here with

denounces. The vote is worth the same in plenary. We are not to restrict

anyone.

In the composition of the Board of Ethics, the most controversial indications

were the Solidarity and PTB. The political party led by deputy Paulinho Force

(SD-SP) confronted Wladimir Costa (SD-PA), which already gave a speech

saying to not be in the House to revoke anyone. Costa did in 2014 arduous

defense of Luiz Argôlo (SD-BA), which had the mandate revoked in the public

organ, accused of involvement with the money changer Alberto Youssef, stuck

in the jet wash operation.

- I am increasingly convinced of the innocence of the deputy - Costa said at the

time.

The indicated by the PTB, deputy Sergio Moraes (PTB-RS), who has chaired

the board in 2008, is also back. He was once came to be removed from the

rapporteur of the case against the deputy Edmar Moreira (PR-MG) - accused of

using indemnification founds in his security companies - to defend his acquittal

in interviews. In another episode, said that he did not care about the public

opinion.

I do not care about the public opinion. Also because part of the public opinion

does not believe in what you write. You hit, but we are re-elected - said at the

time.

The most important committees are being divided between the public parties

without it being considered the involvement in Petrolão. In the Chamber, the

Committee of Constitution and Justice (CCJ) elected the deputy Arthur Lira (PP-

AL) for the presidency. Were 47 votes in favor and 12 abstentions. The blank

number is unusual. There was movement behind the scenes because the

parliamentary can be on the list of the Attorney General, Rodrigo Janot.

In 2013, the Supreme Court opened criminal proceedings against Lira, accused

of assaulting his ex-wife Jullyenne Cristine Santos Lins. The congressman was

charged based on the Maria da Penha Law. The victim claims that in 2006,

seven months after the separation, Lira slapped and kicked her and dragged

her by the hair. The deputy denied the assault:

-It is Political evil, I have opponents in the state to try to hinder my life here in

Congress. In the criminal case, she denied for the fourth time.

After the election, the deputy minimized the 12 blank votes, saying he did not do

a campaign. Lira said he had no expectation of being included in the "Janot list",

"but argued that, if it, would not be an "impediment "to continue in office.

-The Chamber should have more than 200 deputies responding to inquiry,

action, denounce, then it has to be very calm, separate the wheat from the chaff

- said.

In the Senate, the PT decided to appoint Senator Delcídio Amaral (PT-MS) to

be the new chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE), a position that

was disputed by Senator Gleisi Hoffmann (PT-PR), both cited during

investigations of Operation Jet Wash. In the settlement, Gleisi was nominated to

occupy the vice-chair of the Committee of Constitution and Justice (CCJ).

-People who are being present in this list have not been tried or convicted. No

one is guilty or lost their right. In relation to the senators of the PT, I know them

and I know that will be acquitted - said the leader of the PT, Humberto Costa

(PE).

CUNHA: "I HAD TWO INQUIRIES"

Yesterday, Eduardo Cunha also said he still not see reasons why the above are

processed on the Board of Ethics. For Cunha, be investigated in the Supreme

Court is not sufficient reason to be target on an impeachment process.

-I already had two surveys: one that set up a complaint and for which I was

acquitted. You must have at least today hundred inquiries, denounces handled

in the Supreme and has no application for impeachment of parliamentary

involved there because of this - he said. (Contributed Cristiane Jungblute and

Eduardo Bresciani).

"There are people here with investigation, there are people here with

denounces. The vote is worth the same in plenary. We are not to

restrict anyone"

Eduardo Cunha Chamber’s Chairman

Mentions to Dilma and Aécio were discardedO Globo March 5th, 2015

For PGR, quotes to the names of the president and the senator were

insufficient for investigation requests

Vinicius Sassine

Vinicius.jorge@bsb.oglobo.com.br

-Brasília- Upon receiving the material from the Jet Wash operation with

references to authorities with special jurisdiction, the Attorney General's Office

(PGR) encountered quote to the names of two candidates who competed in the

second round of the 2014 presidential elections: the president Dilma Rousseff

(PT) and Senator Aécio Neves (PSDB). During the analysis of the content, in

the days leading investigations opening order in the Supreme Court (STF), the

PGR considered that the information about the two were not enough for

investigation requests. It is unknown, however, if the Attorney General of the

Republic, Rodrigo Janot, effected the disposal of the verification formalizing the

Supreme filing requests. PSDB members guarantee, however, that there was

filing on the case of Aécio. The 28 investigation requests filed in the Supreme

Court, where are listed 54 names, and the seven archiving remain confidential.

The expectation is that the relator of the case, Teori Zavascki, drop the secrecy

until tomorrow.

O GLOBE sought PGR press office to know the formal fate of the two cases.

Because of the secrecy of the investigation requests, the agency did not provide

the information. "The quote people are confidential," said the press office.

DILMA NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE FACTS

In the case of Dilma, the initial assessment was that the quote would be only

references to the name of the PT, without direct involvement in the facts. The

citation to Aécio concerned about old facts, from the 90s Furthermore, the

reference bore no relation to the scheme of misappropriation of resources at

Petrobras, routed in Operation Jet Wash.

The basis for Janot petitions in the Supreme Court were the testimonies of the

two main informers of the scheme, the money changer Alberto Youssef and

Petrobras Supply former director Paulo Roberto Costa. The support group to

Janot, mounted in late January to review the citations to politicians with special

jurisdiction, has envisaged on what to do in relation to the quote to Dilma and

Aécio.

Throughout the day, PSDB’s parliamentary reported receiving information that

Janot recommended to the Supreme Court filing quote to Aécio in Operation Jet

Wash. The toucan, which is political party chairman celebrated the decision and

said there was a government drive to try to involve the opposition in the case.

- I was not aware, but I get as a tribute filing. There was an attempt to involve

the opposition. And if the prosecutor concluded that there was nothing he has

the last word - Aécio said.

The report found that, at some point of the analysis of the quotes to the toucan,

came to cogitate the possibility of open an investigation request against the

president of the PSDB. The understanding that would have prevailed was that

the references would not give support to the Supreme comply with the request

of the Public Ministry, and to determine the opening of an investigation.

YOUSSEF QUOTED AÉCIO’S SISTER

In one of the statements of the award winning tipoff, the money changer

Youssef said he knew that Aécio received diverted money from FURNAS

CENTRAIS ELETRICAS in the period he was a federal deputy. The payments

would have been made by one of the senator’s sisters. The report of the bribes

came to Youssef through the former deputy José Janene (PP-PR), already

dead. Janene is identified as one of the heads of the deviations at Petrobras

Supply management contracts.

- In relation to Senator Aécio, he said he heard about it. Do not have any

evidence. He does not know the senator. Does not have any proof - told to the

O GLOBO the lawyer Antonio Figueiredo Basto, coordinator of the defense of

the money changer in the processes related to Operation Jet Wash.

Youssef mentioned the sister of the senator, but did not know which one. The

senator has two sisters. To Basto, the prosecution is fragile. This would have

been the reason that led Janot not ask investigation opened against Aécio,

according to the lawyer. He also said that, if called to testify again, Youssef will

no longer talk about it because it would have no way to prove the charges.

(Contributed Eduardo Bresciani and Jailton de Carvalho)

"I get as a tribute the filing. If the prosecutor concluded that there was nothing,

he has the last word"

Aécio Neves