Brazil’s President Michel Temer looks on during the inauguration ceremony of the new president of the Superior Labor Court, Joao Batista Brito, in Brasilia, Brazil February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
February 26, 2018
BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil’s top prosecutor on Monday requested the Supreme Court issue an order to prevent the head of the federal police from interfering in a criminal investigation that could result in new corruption charges against President Michel Temer.
The request relates to an investigation into whether Temer accepted bribes in exchange for extending a concession last year for operating services in the Port of Santos, Latin America’s busiest container port.
The port investigation is separate from other corruption cases that have resulted in charges, but no trials or convictions, against Temer. Congress voted twice to block him from standing trial on those prior charges while in office. Temer could face trial once he leaves the presidency.
Attorney General Raquel Dodge asked the Supreme Court to issue an order barring interference from Federal Police Director-General Fernando Segovia following his remarks in a Reuters interview that he saw no evidence of corruption in the port case.
The request included forbidding Segovia from making further public statements about the investigation under possible penalty of being removed from office.
In the same legal filing, Dodge agreed with the request by the lead investigator with the Federal Police for 60 more days to complete the investigation.
(Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu; Writing by Jake Spring; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
