Ana Paula Marra
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília - The president of the Joint Parliamentary Investigatory Commission (CPMI) on the Post Office, Delcídio Amaral (PT-MS), observed that the charges brought by the Federal Public Defense Ministry against 40 individuals allegedly involved in the vote-buying scheme known as the "mensalão," corroborates once again the accuracy and the rigor of the CPMI's efforts. The CMPI's final report, which was delivered to the Attorney-General of the Republic, proposes that more than 100 people be indicted.

The Attorney-General, Antônio Fernando de Souza, said that he submitted the charges to the Federal Supreme Court on March 30 but waited to announce the decision in order not to compromise the parallel investigations conducted by the CPMI.

Many of the charges submitted by the Public Defense Ministry coincide with those contained in the CPMI's final report. For example, the Attorney-General names ex-minister José Dirceu, the ex-president of the PT, José Genoino, and the ex-treasurer of the PT, Delúbio Soares, as members of the Administration "who attempted to guarantee the PT's project of remaining in power by purchasing the political support of other parties."

"Without any intention of causing a controversy, we of the CPMi arrived at practically the same results as the office of the Attorney-General of the Republic. For us this is very important, because it substantiates our efforts and reaffirms the importance of the CPI," Amaral declared.

Translation: David Silberstein