Adriana Franzin
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – Following testimony at the Chief Federal Prosecutor's Office (Procuradoria-Geral da República) (PGR), adman/businessman Marcos Valério declared that he did not believe that president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was aware of his (Valerio's) financial transactions with the president's party, the Worker's Party (PT). "I say this because I never talked to president Lula, never had any contact with him. I am just telling you what I saw, what happened," Valerio told reporters.

According to Valerio, his advertising agencies loaned a total of US$23.5 million (R$55 million) to the PT. He claimed that the funds were raised in private banks and transferred to the PT. "The funds came from the private sector and were passed on to the PT itself, or to others indicated by the PT," said Valerio, adding that he had turned over copies of all his contracts with the PT to the PGR and that he continued negotiating the payment of the loans with the PT.

Translator: Allen Bennett