Police arrest Brazil ex-Minister Geddel Vieira Lima

Federal police agents arrested former Minister Geddel Vieira Lima in an operation conducted Monday (Jul 3) in Bahia. Federal prosecutors believe the Bahia-born politician is attempting to obstruct probes into alleged irregularities in the release of funds from the state-controlled Caixa Econômica Federal, Brazil's fourth biggest bank in assets.

The warrant for Geddel's preventive arrest had been requested by the police and the task force of Operation Greenfield following information provided by foreign currency dealer Lúcio Bolonha Funaro; executive Joesley Batista; and Francisco de Assis e Silva, director at J&F—the last two as part of a plea bargain agreement.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira