President Temer submits defense to lower house
President Michel Temer's defense statement was submitted to the lower house today (Oct. 4) by his lawyer Eduardo Carnelós. The document comes as a response to the second round of charges against the president, filed by former Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot. Temer is being accused of obstruction of justice and racketeering, along with Ministers Moreira Franco and Eliseu Padilha.
Padilha and Moreira Franco already had their defenses submitted. Under Brazilian law, the lower house must grant its approval before the case advances to the Supreme Court.
A special lower house committee will consider the charges before it is brought before the full house for deliberation, when the vote of 342 lawmakers is required to further the case.
President Temer and Ministers Padilha and Franco are believed to have formed a corruption ring involving members of their party in the lower house, aimed at extracting illicit advantages from government agencies.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: President Temer files defense at lower house