Transport minister accused of corruption in Brazil

www.latintrade.com 01/22/2003 - Source: Latin American Newsletters

The new Brazilian transport minister Anderson Adauto has been accused of involvement in an embezzlement scandal. Adauto belongs to the Partido Liberal (PL), the party of Brazil's Vice-President.

Adauto is accused of being part of a group that embezzled R$4m (US$1.2m) from the municipal government of Itaruma in Minas Gerais. He was summonsed by President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva today to explain himself. Yet, even before the meeting, Lula's spokesman, André Singer, told reporters that Adauto would not be sacked or be forced to resign, a message that officials confirmed last night.

Adauto, who became transport minister at the beginning of the month, says the allegations come from those angry at his recent decision to spend R$5bn (US$1.5bn) on roadbuilding projects and call in the army to audit and manage the programme.

The PL is a small centre-right party with strong links to the evangelical movement. Lula, who belongs to the leftwing Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT), tried to form an alliance with the PL in order to increase his appeal to the middle class.