Iolando Lourenço
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The Administration's leader in the Chamber, Deputy Professor Luizinho (PT-SP), criticized accusations published in a weekly newsmagazine about US$ 5 million in donations allegedly made by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to the PT. "The Veja story is not journalism. It is a story based on yes and no. It does not name names, nor does it present concrete data. This is not a news story; it might be anything but a news story," he said.

According to the Administration's leader, the Workers' Party (PT) is serene about these accusations. "We are opposed to armed groups. We are opposed to acts of terrorism. If anybody from the PT is involved in this, he's no longer part of the PT; he's out," Professor Luizinho declared.

According to Veja, a barbecue attended by PT militants and FARC representatives took place on the outskirts of Brasília in April, 2002. According to the story, a FARC "ambassador" to Brazil who was present on the occasion announced the donation of US$ 5 million to the electoral campaigns of PT candidates - an act witnessed by an Abin (Brazilian Intelligence Agency) agent who attended the event under cover.

The leader of the PT in the Chamber, Deputy Paulo Rocha, also criticized the story, which he called "warmed-over" and an "unfounded accusation." Rocha said that the matter had already been bruited during the 2002 presidential campaign, when José Serra, the PSDB candidate at the time, made the accusation on his party's programs. "The accusation was the subject of political clashes instigated by the candidate José Serra. At the time the Federal Elections Court (TSE) denied the candidate's plea and removed the program from the air, because it was a totally unfounded accusation," he informed.

Rocha admitted that FARC representatives were in Brazil to converse with various leaders, "including ones in Congress, through their contacts with various lawmakers. At the time the FARC wanted to establish a diplomatic representation here. This was refused by the Brazilian government." Although he confirms the meetings with political leaders, Deputy Rocha assures that there is "no political relationship between the FARC and the Workers' Party, much less any financial relationship with our party."

The PT leader said that his party will not sign the petition to open a Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) to investigate the accusations. "The CPI is an important instrument of investigation here in the House. It should not be debased by an issue spawned by an unfounded accusation, with no factual proof," he affirmed.

In the Senate, the Administration's leader, Aloízio Mercadante (PT-SP), said that the chief Minister of the Cabinet of Institutional Security (GSI) , General Jorge Félix, also assured him that the documents mentioned in the story did not come from the Abin.

Translation: David Silberstein