Agência Brasil

Brasília - The Workers' Party (PT) issued an official note yesterday (5) in reply to charges that it had deposited US$ 460 thousand (R$ 1 million) in a bank account belonging to the Coteminas textile company, which is owned by José Alencar, Brazil's vice president and minister of Defense.

The note, signed by the PT's national president, Ricardo Berzoini, and its national financial secretary, Paulo Ferreira, acknowledges a US$ 5 million (R$ 11 million) debt to the company for T-shirts purchased for the 2004 election campaign. However, according to the note, "there is no record of a R$ 1 million payment to Coteminas in May of this year or of any other payment referring to the liquidation of said debt."

A story published in the newspaper, "Folha de São Paulo," states that a R$ 1 million cash deposit made on May 17 of this year was identified in a Financial Activities Control Council document.

Translation: David Silberstein