Lula da Silva formally accused of being part of corruption scandal

On September 14, prosecutors from the Lava Jato anti-corruption investigation took to live television to formally accuse ex-President Lula da Silva of playing a central role in the Petrobras kick-back scheme during his time as president from 2003-2010. At the conference, which took place in the city of Curitiba where Lava Jato is based, prosecutors called Lula the boss of a “propinocracia,” roughly translating to “bribe-ocracy,” as well as the “maestro of a large orchestra brought together to pillage public coffers" and "the highest commander" of the Petrobras scandal. The accusations were illustrated by PowerPoint slides depicting a diagram that boldly placed Lula at the center of a wide array of alleged evidence against him, drawing the attention of both the media and many Brazilians online.

On September 21, the leader of Lava Jato, Judge Sergio Moro, accepted the denouncement, meaning that Lula will officially become a defendant in an investigation brought against him.

Lula is accused of committing crimes of both active and passive corruption, money laundering, and receiving bribes amounting to 3.7 million reais ($1.14 million USD). The investigation stopped short of accusing him of creating an organized crime network because that specific crime involves other officials currently in public office and therefore falls under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Federal Court. Lula, however, does not occupy any such office and can be tried in normal courts.

While Lula has largely avoided culpability in the Petrobras scandal that has pillaged an estimated 6 billion reais ($1.85 billion USD) since 2003, the latest accusations allege that corruption on such a large scale could not have happened without the president’s approval. Lula is also accused of having direct ties to the Mensalão corruption scandal, which unfolded in his first term. Both scandals are argued to be “two sides of the same coin” and point to an ongoing attempt by the Worker’s Party (PT) to “achieve corrupt governability, keep themselves in power criminally and enrich themselves illicitly.”

Lula’s lawyers deny all accusations and condemned the conference as a “deplorable spectacle” and a political attack meant to delegitimize him and his party as nationwide municipal elections approach on October 2.Lula prepares a run for the presidency in 2018. Prosecutors reject claims that their accusations are politically motivated, citing the wide array of public officials from a variety of government institutions involved in the investigation. The accusations came just days before federal police arrested a former Finance Minister who served under both Lula and ex-President Dilma Rousseff, on charges of corruption.

Following the heavy hit the Worker’s Party took in last month’s impeachment decision, these new corruption allegations could represent another step on the party’s path toward losing the influence it has enjoyed since claiming national power thirteen years ago.