Brazil’s ex-education minister arrested on corruption charges

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Federal law enforcement officers depart the headquarters of the Ministry of Education and learning in Brasilia, Brazil June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino

SAO PAULO, June 22 (Reuters) – Brazil’s previous leading schooling formal was arrested on corruption fees, the president mentioned on Wednesday, noting his former aide will answer for his actions forward of elections later this yr in which graft scandals loom huge for voters.

“If he is harmless, no challenge. If he is responsible, he will pay back,” President Jair Bolsonaro informed localbroadcaster Radio Itatiaia, referring to previous Education and learning Minister Milton Ribeiro.

“The federal government is collaborating with the investigation. We do not condone any of this.”

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In a assertion, Ribeiro’s law firm Daniel Bialski stated his client’s arrest was “unfair, unmotivated, unnecessary” and that he was filing a lawful motion to absolutely free him.

In accordance to a law enforcement resource, Ribeiro’s arrest is section of the so-referred to as “Access Paid out” operation aimed at investigating corruption and affect peddling relevant to the expending of public resources from aneducation improvement fund.

In a assertion on Wednesday, police stressed that their investigations have uncovered “attainable proof” of crimes involving the use of public revenue.

Ribeiro resigned in March just after allegations surfaced that he gave preferential procedure to two pastors for academic funding in return for bribes. read through much more

He was the 3rd schooling minister to quit underneath Bolsonaro, who ran on a pledge to control corruption.

When accusations versus Ribeiro very first emerged before this 12 months, Bolsonaro called them “cowardice,” incorporating that he absolutely trusted him.

The schooling ministry has confirmed that a law enforcement crew frequented its offices, adding that it was cooperating with investigations.

The probes concentration on crimes this sort of as affect peddling, abuse of ability, and other corruption-related rates.

Area media claimed an evangelical pastor joined to Bolsonaro was also arrested in the operation.

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Reporting by Ricardo Brito and Eduardo Simoes Creating by Steven Grattan and Gabriel Araujo Modifying by Richard Chang

Our Criteria: The Thomson Reuters Belief Concepts.

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