The charges of
bribery and corruption against Brazil’s president have survived an initial
court challenge.
Brazil's
Federal Supreme Court ruled on Thursday to validate the plea-bargain deal in
which JBS S.A.'s controllers revealed a bribery scheme to Brazilian
politicians, leading to a corruption charge against President Michel Temer.
Justice
Edson Fachin will remain in charge of the cases arising from testimony by JBS'
controllers.
Businessman
and JBS Controller Joesley Batista revealed a recorded conversation with
President Michel Temer during his plea-bargain deal in May in which the two
discuss payment of bribes to former House speaker Eduardo Cunha.
Information
revealed in the plea-bargain testimony led Attorney General Rodrigo Janot to
formally accuse Temer of passive corruption.
According
to Janot, Temer orchestrated a bribery scheme that totaled BRL38 million ($11.8
million US) over nine years.
Temer
has denied all charges.
He and
his government are, however, also facing much bigger corruption charges in
connection with loans to other Brazilian businesses.
In the
case of JBS, government officials were bribed to extend loans to JBS to fund
its purchase of big North American meat-packing companies, including XL Foods
Ltd. of Alberta.
