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LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

July 3, 2024

How Well Is Brazil’s Government Fighting Graft?

Brazil’s supreme court has recently overturned convictions in prominent corruption cases. // File Photo: Everton137 via Creative Commons.

Q

  • In cases related to Brazil’s sprawling “Car Wash” corruption probe, the country’s supreme court in May overturned convictions against left-wing politician José Dirceu. One of the court’s justices, Dias Toffoli, also annulled rulings against industrialist Marcelo Odebrecht. People targeted in the investigation, which began a decade ago, have accused authorities of improprieties, while critics of decisions to overturn convictions say the moves are returning the country to impunity. What is behind recent orders to overturn Car Wash convictions? How strongly is the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who himself was convicted of corruption in 2017 and spent more than a year in jail, fighting graft? To what extent do the recent quashing of Car Wash convictions create a permissible environment for corruption, as critics have said?

A

Alfredo Attié, justice at the Supreme Court of São Paulo: “During its first and long spell in power, the Workers’ Party was responsible for significant changes in Brazilian law, which enabled the autonomy of public administration control institutions to put an end to the way in which traditional elites appropriated and exercised power. However, as mechanisms of control of these autonomous institutions were absent, the controversial effectiveness of their actions led to disfiguring the rule of law and undermining democratic principles. A difficult period followed, not only for President Lula da Silva, in his personal ordeal, but it was equally traumatizing for society, which faced an attempted anti-democratic coup. It was also difficult for the judiciary, which is now trying to redeem itself for…”

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The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.
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